Martina Darmanin’s debut solo exhibition, Domestic Bloom, is currently on display at il-Kamra ta’ Fuq in Mqabba until August 4. This highly anticipated show delves into the intersection of home and nature, celebrating the vibrancy of floral motifs within our intimate spaces.

By transforming the space we inhabit into a tapestry of identity and memory, Darmanin explores how our homes become extensions of ourselves.

Martina Darmanin

Domestic Bloom examines the home as a place filled with traces of transient and ordinary moments. These fleeting daily experiences and mundane routines create a partly subconscious and consciously curated environment. Through the objects within our homes, Darmanin invites viewers to gain a holistic view of one’s identity. Her exploration began with the discovery of multiple floral objects and motifs in her new studio, leading her to investigate their significance and the memories they carry.

The exhibition is a direct exploration of the objects surrounding Darmanin in her studio. She emphasises the power of objects through their associations and our perceptions. A disheveled floral bed sheet, for example, can evoke past events and prompt speculation about its history.

Memento Mori

The motif of drapery, recurrent in our lives from birth to death, serves as a powerful symbol in Darmanin’s work. Drapery, whether it’s the bed sheets we wake up in or the blankets we are covered with at the end of our lives, represents the cyclical nature of life and death. Despite the lively appearance of floral drapery, Darmanin infuses it with darker, more sinister undertones, highlighting the contrasts within our homes. This juxtaposition challenges the comforting image of home, revealing it as a space brimming with stains and scraps that symbolise deeper meanings.

Darmanin’s use of drapery as both a found object and a reinterpretation creates a dynamic space that draws viewers into her personal ‘room’. The nostalgic elements of floral motifs evoke memories and emotions, transforming quirky floral décor into a vibrant clash of patterns and colours. This dynamic setting

reflects the empowerment derived from owning and defining one’s space, both physically and emotionally. The floral motifs also subtly showcase Darmanin’s femininity, using traditional symbols of beauty, grace, and delicacy. Her research into the symbiosis of florals and femininity, inspired by Shakespeare’s work, influenced her creative process.

Waves of Fabric-1

Floral drapery holds a special place in Darmanin’s heart, reminiscent of her grandmother’s house where she built forts and camps with blankets. The repetitive decorative elements mirror the ritualistic nature of home life, imbuing daily routines with meaning and order. These structured activities, from mundane tasks to significant events, establish a sense of comfort, identity, and continuity within a household.

Il-Kamra ta’ Fuq, an intimate venue, is the perfect setting for Darmanin’s work, which explores the concept of a ‘room’. The exhibition challenges the notion of public versus private space, using floral curtains to blur the line between the two domains. By bringing the outside world into the home, Darmanin highlights the symbiotic relationship between nature and our living spaces, suggesting that our homes can be sanctuaries for growth and renewal.

Waves of Fabric-3

Darmanin draws inspiration from artist Sophie Calle’s project The Hotel, which documents observations of strangers’ objects in hotel rooms. Like Calle, Darmanin is fascinated by the gaze and voyeurism, using these themes to explore everyday scenes. Her work creates a dialogue about the act of looking, power dynamics, and the roles of artist, subject, and audience. Surveillance and the exploration of private life reveal the true threads of our identity in its purest forms, making the viewer complicit in the act of voyeurism.

Ultimately, Darmanin’s exhibition asserts that the objects around us are intrinsically linked to our identities. The spaces we inhabit bear our traces, and the objects we collect can outlive us, carrying their own lives and meanings. Each object is imbued with memories, associations, and personal significance.

Domestic Bloom Series-3

Domestic Bloom features 17 works, including paintings, cyanotypes, sculptures, and monoprints. While Darmanin initially explored this theme in her bachelor’s dissertation, she has delved deeper in this exhibition, showcasing the vibrant life of the home as a space of contemplation and contrasts.

Curated by Melanie Erixon, Domestic Bloom at il-Kamra ta’ Fuq in Mqabba offers a unique and thought-provoking experience. For more information, visit il-Kamra ta’ Fuq on social media.