Milkshake, the four-part artistic programme that celebrates the diversity of human sexuality, is currently shaking some common misconceptions. Ramona Depares meets up with photographer Gilbert Calleja, the man behind the project.

Photographer Gilbert Calleja is the creative brains behind Milkshake.

How do our bodies – and, as a consequence our sexuality – affect our lives, our interactions, our personalities?

The project revolves around the way were late to unconventional relationships in this relatively small, traditionally Christian community

This question led photographer Gilbert Calleja to create Milkshake, an artistic long-term project that is “a celebration of local diversity”.

When I meet Calleja, the first thing he points out is that we should not be misled by the use of the tagline ‘the queer body’; the project, which has the support of the Malta Arts Fund, is not limited to a treatise about homosexuality.

The word ‘queer’ here is used in its traditional, academic sense, an indication of the way humans live their own sexuality while interacting with those around them.

The project takes the shape of a four-part, multimedia artistic project focusing on the way the body is seen, shown, flaunted, hidden or concealed.

“Our nationality, coupled with the fact that we live on an island, bears a direct impact on our relationship with our bodies and our sexuality,” Calleja says.

“It is important to specify that the whole project focuses on Maltese individuals and the local context.”

The project revolves around the way we relate to unconventional relationships in this relatively small, traditionally Christian community.

Milkshake takes its audience on a tour around the winding backstreets of straight Malta; participating local and international artists, photographers, authors and performers approach issues of masculinity and femininity by working directly with people from the Maltese community.

Artists are collaborating with the public, working collectively and striving to produce an interactive, multi-disciplinary experience that creatively exploits the potential within the architectural maze that is St James Cavalier.

For the project, Calleja has also teamed up with the Malta Gay Rights Movement (MGRM), working closely with RuthBaldacchino, who also lectures in Queer Studies at the University of Malta.

Has this enforced the public perception that the project is limited to same-sex relationships? Calleja says the support of the MGRM has been invaluable: they are the onlyorganisation in Malta that possesses the knowledge and expertise related to this particular topic that he was after.

“The MGRM’s area of expertiseis preciselypeople with diverse sexualities. Ruth has been an extremely important pointofreference for me throughout the whole project; together with the MGRM as a whole, we are working to engage artists, academics and professionals to collaborate and produce a challenging body of work,” Calleja explains.

“This project celebrates individuality and the way the local community accepts this individuality.”

Calleja explains that the idea is also to raise awareness about the sexuality-based prejudice that still exists,as well as thedifficulties people experience on a daily basis.

A number of activities spanning over the coming year will see established artists collaborating with young creatives to engage the audience through a number of new, challenging media and formats.

“I have always been into photography that relatesto sub-cultures; Milkshake has been in the works for a long time. I suppose for Malta it’s quite a daring idea; I still encounter people who fail to realise the importanceof awareness aboutthese issues.”

The project kicks off with a 30-artist multimedia exhibition that focuses on “the extraordinary sex”. Participating artists have been given a free hand and are using a diversity of media, including installations, paintings, video and photography.

The second stage will take the form of a weekend workshop called ‘Genderflux’, complemented by a photographic book focusing on trans individuals that Calleja is working on. The project will wrap up in April 2013 with a series of performances from Marta Kwitt.

“My aim is to interview and photograph around 30 individuals, which is ambitious but doable. Some people, understandably, have been reluctant to reveal their identity. Others have been extremely generous with their time and experiences. I’d also like to encourage individuals who might want to share their stories to come forth.”

Calleja adds it is important to distinguish between the sexual act and sexual identity.

“The sexual identity of a person is not to be equated with the sex act itself. Milkshake is most emphatically not about portraying sexual acts but about celebrating our identities.”

The project found resistance from a number of quarters. However, reactions have generally been positive.

“At the end of the day, people will say what they like. I strongly believe it is important to foster a certain sense of respect towards other people’s choices, about how they live their lives.”

As a parting shot, he points out that we cannot just talk about tolerance, acceptance and loving our neighbour without accompanying this talk with real respect for the individual’s choices.

“This includes the way they live their sexuality; even if we don’t necessarily agree with that choice, we need to respect it. Otherwise it is just empty words. Hopefully, Milkshake will help eradicate the taboos related to sexuality.”

All Milkshake activities will take place at St James Cavalier in Valletta. To stay updated about the events, visit www.sjcav.org.