Local roots music band Etnika is currently holding a two-week interactive and immersive concept festival revolving around the concept of ‘entropy’. Titled The Arrow of Time, it features residencies, workshops and performances in collaboration with Wildworks from Cornwall, England, Buena Sombra Films from Seville, Spain, and the local archival project Magna Żmien.

“Etnika has been spearheading the revival of traditional Maltese music since 1999 by discovering creative pathways towards original artistic expression within the context of contemporary trends. In an ongoing mission to keep Maltese roots music at the highest levels of artistic expression and relevance, the proposed programme will establish a new step in the trajectory of the project,” Francesca Grima, one of the programme managers of The Arrow of Time and Etnika dancer and choreographer, says.

“It will place emphasis on learning new skills and investigating ways of audience integration, use of digital media and archival content in art projections and audiovisual installations as well as the creation of new and challenging music arrangements and performance elements integrated in immersive environments.”

Francesca explains that the inspiration to do an artistic investigation of the concept of entropy – as a measure of unpredictability, a tendency towards flux and rearrangement, a transfer of energy, a dissipation of structures and inevitability of exchange of elements in a system − comes from its relevance in connection to Malta, the Etnika project and the current global situation.

“As a small and historically coveted island exposed to elements of sun, storms and sea, it has high entropy. Its very topography is the evidence of entropy. Due to the tectonic movements causing the inclination of its terrain, a big part of ancient Malta lies submerged, with the high cliffs on the other side of the archipelago the evident scar of entropy, a giant reminder of collapse and impermanence,” she points out.

“High humidity and temperatures make a difficult task of preservation of instruments, documents and cultural artefacts. Corrosive elements make it difficult to tune and make playable traditional instruments made of cane, goat skin and organic materials. The knowledge and skills pertaining to traditional music have tended to diminish and fade.”

She adds that, culturally, the effects of high entropy are visible on the islands.

“History tells us of events where almost its entire population had been taken away into slavery on several occasions. Many different colonisers brought varied cultural influences − Siculo-Arabic, Italian, North African, Spanish, French, English. Conflicts, wars and struggles created a constant ebb and flow, a succession of waves that reshaped the cultural landscape; leading to cross-pollination, of spreading of peoples, cultures, influences, viruses,” she continues.

“Then there’s immigration as entropy over time: Maltese leaving the island and others arriving. Entropy of fast-moving growth and progress too, an entropy of individual and collective memory of Malta, fading and dissolving into ever-changing landscapes brought about by the seemingly unstoppable socio-economic and cultural tidal waves.”

As to how the concept of entropy is relevant to Etnika, programme manager and musician Andrej Vujicic explains how the band’s music features various cultural influences from the wider Mediterranean basin.

“As a high entropy band, Etnika utilises fusion, improvisation, complex rhythms, unpredictability of style changes over time. Eclectic genre influences and constant change and development of song arrangements happen over time; likewise, new styles and presentations, changes in instrumentation, band members, as well as choice of locations,” he says.

“There is also energy transfer from performers to audience and back.”

Referring to the current global situation, the two remark that all measures in COVID times ‒ namely lockdowns, isolation, masks, restricted movement, curfews, imposition of strict rules and order ‒ are essentially measures against entropy.

“Isolation and lack of social interaction is causing a lack of human warmth and energy transfer, causing possibly an internal, psychological entropy, a breakdown of internal stability, a tipping of the balance. As global and societal tensions increase, there is at the same time a longing for and a fear of entropy, of chaos, of a dissolution of old systems and values, of unbridled progress affecting social change and cohesion.

“Climate change is creating unpredictable weather patterns and destructive events; immigration, political conflicts and social unrest are sparking revolutionary trends,” Francesca notes.

As a high entropy band, Etnika utilises fusion, improvisation, complex rhythms, unpredictability of style changes over time

The festival’s title refers to a concept in physics, which is closely related to entropy.

“One can judge the direction of time by the overall increase in entropy. Overall and ultimately, all systems strive towards disorder and unpredictability and, yet, life and art seemingly struggle against the ‘arrow of time’, creating meaning and substance out of raw materials. Art dares to fly its arrow of time against universal odds and in search of beauty and meaning,” Andrej muses.

Focusing on this concept, the festival created a series of residencies in collaboration with international artists, engaging in creative exchanges and transfers of knowledge at the Valletta Design Cluster. It is also experimenting with new media and involving the community, playing with a change of perspective and looking for original angles of approach to live music and performance events.

“Supporting cultural ties with local and foreign artists will help the growth of the local culture scene and enhance its artistic excellence,” Andrej enthuses.

A number of workshops were held last weekend. Programme manager and musician Andrew Alamango, who is also behind the Magna Żmien project, led a workshop on Maltese traditional and popular music styles employed in creating music for Etnika and The Arrow of Time.

Amy Pitt from Wildworks presented two workshops on site-specific works and on audience involvement and interaction, while Felix Vazquez of Buena Sombra Films and Andrej led a workshop on video art installations and their integration into performance arts.

Six audiovisual installations, conceived and built in collaboration with Pitt together with volunteers, will be exhibited at the Malta Aviation Museum in Ta’ Qali as part of the final performance taking place this weekend.

These audiovisual installations will be partly based or inspired by the findings of the Magna Żmien collections and old instruments, and will be related to Etnika, Malta, the passage of time, entropy and culture.

The audience will initially walk around the space guided by volunteer ushers, “creating spaces of interaction with memory entropy, nostalgia and connection to the space”, Andrej explains.

The use of projections of images, sounds and other media will immerse the viewer in an experiential and sensory performance. The band will integrate into the performance gradually with a 45-minute music arrangement suite based on new and traditional material but featuring new sounds and soundscapes, allowing for interactivity and improvisation. The audience will be given headphones for use during the 45-minute music set.

Musician Jimmy Bartolo will be accompanying the six-piece band, made up of Andrej, Francesca and Andrew together with Oliver Degabriele (programme manager and musician), Alison Galea (musician and singer) and Walter Vella (musician).

The performances will be complemented by dancer Francesca’s intricate footwork and contemporary flamenco lines and aesthetics, to create conceptual links to the music and add movement throughout the show.

“This is not just a regular Etnika concert but more of an immersive experience where we are bringing together the creativity of a number of entities to pool into this event. This is not a usual way of experiencing music,” Francesca notes.

Andrej urges the public to support “a local Maltese band and immerse yourself in interactive and artistic installations and enjoy a multimedia performance of music and dance”.

 “We also have a long-term goal of setting up networks and a management infrastructure for an ongoing yearly showcase event with a projected increase in scale and scope,” he reveals.

The performances will be held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Malta Aviation Museum in Ta’ Qali. There will be two daily shows at 7pm and at 9pm. Tickets are available here. COVID restrictions will be in place and audiences must wear a mask and present their vaccine certificate.

The festival is supported by the Arts Council Malta RESTART Fund, Atlas Insurance, Valletta Design Cluster and Magna Żmien.