At Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta, London-based Maltese fine artist Iella is currently presenting a powerful exhibition, Migration Nation. Curated by Margerita Pulè, it’s a heart-rending exploration of the challenges faced by individuals and populations forced to migrate due to climate change.

“Two years ago,” says Iella, “I had an exhibition called the Dying Planet at which I encouraged visitors to share their anxieties about the climate in Malta. Common concerns included that the islands would become uninhabitable due to the heat, water shortages and too much building.

“It then occurred to me that I live in England partly because I struggle with Malta’s summer temperatures, so I am a climate migrant. For me, before Brexit, relocating was easy: this was very different to many people’s experiences in places where extreme weather events are causing mass displacement.”

The artist Iella. Photo: Antonella Muscat

She further explains that last year she went on a residency in Bilpin, rural Sydney, Australia, an area affected by wildfires triggered by exceptionally dry conditions in 2020. In the wilderness, there was permanent damage caused by the wildfires but the burnt trees were coming back to life, so there was still hope.

“I wondered, are we all just one climate disaster away from the need to move?”

Having been an illustrator and graphic designer, she was keen to express the complicated issues around climate migration in comic strip format, as having a narrative really helps.

Crossings at Sea – Encounters by Iella

“Then, however, I ‘accidentally fell’ into an etching class,” Iella laughs, “and became obsessed with this new – for me – medium. It was interesting to use this age-old traditional art technique to express modern stories. The rise of generative AI has pushed me in the opposite direction – working with my hands and traditional media rather than digital illustration as I used to. Etching absolutely scratched that itch.”

The exhibition includes eight large-scale acrylic paintings in the red of a blood moon or a dying sun and a chilling royal blue set among intricate eerie etchings, some hung alongside the larger pieces to add a visual narrative. In the works, Iella, an avid birdwatcher, uses the barn swallow as a metaphor for people: as a result, the pictures in which death is commonplace are less stark than they might have appeared.

Raft of the Medusa by Iella

“Barn swallows are a global species of bird which migrate, seasonally, and there are lots in Malta, so they seemed a good fit,” Iella explains.

Some are shown in the traditional luzzu, which also seems appropriate for a Maltese audience. “I want the viewer to ask the question, ‘why are these birds in a boat when they can fly?’”

One room in the show depicts climate calamities, from fire and crop failure to drought and flooding, scenes that reference familiar Biblical iconography and traditional art such as Nicolas Poussin’s The Flood.

Paper Boats

A second room focuses on the consequences of climate migration and the resource wars and the overpopulation that results from the movement of people to more hospitable climes.

“Overpopulation is an interesting but difficult subject to talk about, especially given our current situation in which locals are complaining about overpopulation and foreign workers and yet have family members who have chosen to move abroad,” Iella continues.“I’m trying to present a balanced overview, to highlight the shared struggles of humanity across borders and to elicit empathy for people that feel they have no choice but to migrate.”

Detail of Journeys, a paper boat installation

The show also includes ‘behind the scenes’ insights into the etching process; a brief film by the animator known as SeaPuppy (aka Christian de Souza Jensen), which is sketchy in style and dark in tone, likening birds in cages to refugee camps behind barbed wire; and a collaborative installation in the form of a giant paper boat created from hundreds of colourful posters, folded into small boats.

Created in collaboration with the Malta Community of Illustrators, these consist of 14 designs from Maltese or Malta-based illustrators. Some, like Kyle’s litter-strewn underwater scene, are an indictment of the way we treat our environment, while others, such as Jessica Cutajar’s Phoenix, symbolise optimism and resilience.

Paper Boat Template by Jessica Cutajar

“I’ve always been interested in art activism and art for protests, and this is an extension of the idea that a poster folded into a small model could be thrown, or floated, around the city, and a random person will pick it up, unfold it and ‘hear’ the message. Visitors are encouraged to either remove a small boat, or add one of their own,” Iella explains.

As the finale of a rather unsettling exhibition, this inclusive boat installation is a powerful symbol of solidarity and collective action. While the birds depict today’s concerns, the mini-boats and their messages are designed to represent hope and the possibility of a brighter future.

A poster by Mariam Galea

“We can all press for more environmental protection here in Malta and around the world. It isn’t too late to act,” Iella says.

Migration Nation runs until November 10 with support from Arts Council Malta. It is part of the Spazju Kreattiv 2024/2025 Programme.