In a so-called progressive and liberal developing social context, the emerging cultural amnesia and loss of collective memory call for constant artistic and cultural education. It might also entail fostering constructive shared memories that act as an edifying source for social, educational and creative formation that reinvigorates our local context with fruitful networking and a new sense of equilibrium.

Within the local scenario of the Malta Society of Arts, the artistic project of this year’s members’ exhibition sought to gene­rate a kind of backdrop that marries the commemorative centenary anniversary of this institution at the palace with one of its primary objectives, namely – the encouragement of artistic production. This was managed by presenting the idea of memory as a shared creative space.

Artists revisited memories via their work.

This year’s members exhibition revolves around the idea of remembrance through the concept of the ‘Archive’ as the main theme for artistic research and practice. Through such a concept, the project presents a matrix that engenders artistic trajectories for the members of the society to create new work and experiment in various aspects related to their practice, as well as producing joint ventures and networks with other peer artists, craftsmen and art lovers.

In addition, a series of activities, workshops and discussion groups started a posi­tive dialogue leading to surprising results that were translated into a textural and rewarding exhibition, and fostered a collective approach that generated a strong sense of community among the members.

Furthermore, this collective show involves a considerable number of members coming from different backgrounds who worked together to develop surprising results. There are 54 participants and over 50 art pieces which come together under one umbrella, creating a diversified connective fabric of artistic expressions and statements.

Some artworks harness a new sense of meaning.

Within such a context, the ‘Archive’ is not envisioned simply as a physical space to retrieve primary sources that reconstruct or retrieve data, but rather acts as a form of a creative depot that unfolds new connecti­vity, meaning and interpretations. It is a concept that ties together different elements, forming a sense of collective memo­ry within the MSA’s micro-community, as well as roping in various practices, individuals, practitioners and artists to work together, experiment, research and come up with new thoughts, generating a sense of bonding and belonging.

Personal archives that reflect on biographical statements

Besides the social and communal element, the project configures and explores intriguing scenarios and ideas, yielding rewarding results. Through the ‘Archive’, individuals revisited memories and recollected notions linked to the past, producing new personal approaches and fostering new aptitudes, creative methods of artistic work and, ultimately, fresh ideas.

Moreover, such a project entails personal archives that reflect on biographi­cal statements, personal notions or social assertions associated with identity or the self. It features work by artists whose content reveals a strong sense of autobiographical narratives. Some of these works also make references to a kind of ‘indexicality’, referring directly to materials such as letters, photos or memoirs that feature traces of documentary elements that act as an artistic expression of frozen moments in time within their personal context.

Some of the narratives are autobiographical.

The exhibition also presents recollections and memories that bespeak narratives and fictive storylines rooted in history associated with the institution of the Malta Society of Arts.

These plots seek to suggest subtle interpretations and harness a new sense of meaning. The creation of such artworks proffers a locus where fresh reconfigurations and scenarios feature different aspects related to identity or legacy, which at times, represent characteristics and concepts connected to the MSA or Palazzo de La Salle. This approach puts memory over history and presents a crea­tive space for new expressions.

Members come from different backgrounds.

More exhibits at The Archive: Memories and Recollections.

Within a creative setting, memories can take different forms – foster a sense of community, provide a communal and formative context and indirectly reveal productive and creative roles within our contemporary world.

The Archive: Memories and Recollections, curated by Roderick Camilleri, is on at Pa­lazzo de La Salle, Valletta, till September 7.

The MSA participants and artists are Joseph Agius, Fabiola Agius Anastasi, Carmen Aquilina, Kamy Aquilina, Joanne Azzopardi, Noel Azzopardi, Josian Bonello, Carm Borg, Dione Borg, Clint Calleja, Dave Calleja, Daniela Camilleri, Josette Casha, Adrienne Cassar, Matthew Cassar, Alex Dalli, Patrick Dalli, Maria Rossella Dalmas, Katel Delia, Jessica DeMers, Damian Ebejer, Margaret Farrugia, Jason Fenech, Censu Fenech, Marita Fenech, Michelle Gialanze, Daniela Guevska, Eman Grima, Marion Gruebl, Josephine Hili, Sun Hui, Eric Kaiser, Yuexin Kong, Edward Micallef, Leanne Lewis, Jordan Muscat, Gabriela Nicolaescu, Audrey Pace, Nadya Peovska, Roberto Prestigiacomo, Joseph Pulo, Quinn Salter, Ethan Salter, Valerio Schembri, Lucienne Spiteri, Stefan Spiteri, Darren Tanti, Elena Toncheva, Audrey Vella, Tanya Vella, Isaac Warrington, Robert Zahra, Charmaine Zammit and Alison Zammit Endrich.