An imagined road trip is the theme of Route 56, a joint exhibition by Etienne Farrell and Mark Mallia.  The artistic soulmates share ideas and a studio in the dreamy village of Mqabba.  Although the rather rural location of the studio offers some relief from the hectic life happening in other parts of the island, the two artists still feel suffocated in their predicament. 

They decided to embark on an imaginary road trip, a flight of fancy titled Route 56, to fuel their creative juices and escape from the straitjacket of ennui that numbs artistic expression. 

The promotional snapshot of the two artists, driving a Lotus Esprit borrowed from a friend, sets the mood for the exhibition.  The powerful sports car is a symbol of freedom, a portent of danger, the speed it can reach consuming vast distances. One meets new acquaintances on such trips along the highways defined by the two artists’ uncanny resourcefulness at role-playing. This alternative surreal messed-up take on reality is the underlying concept of the exhibition.

 Join the two artists on Route 56 to meet their friends at the studio in Mqabba Square from Thursday, April 29 to Sunday, May 2.  Maybe you’ll be enticed to listen to their friend’s stories of doom, gloom and hope, and be moved to take one of them back home with you, together with a document - a written account of their mournful story. 

For more information, visit the Route 56 Facebook page.