A collection of dolls accompanied by their voices and stories make up the lastest exhibition at Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta.

Each doll forming part of Sura – created by Glen Calleja and Lori Sauer − is an attempt at making sense of the human need to create objects in our own likeness.

Their stories were written by popular author Clare Azzopardi, which were translated for the exhibition by Albert Gatt.

The creatives involved say that dolls lie somewhere between the inanimate and the living.

“In play, they embody characters we manipulate. In the hands of the shaman, they are instruments of divine intercession, charged with powerful gods and spirits. In therapy they stand in for loved ones we’ve lost or who hurt us. Their character changes in sync with that of their owner’s. What happens then, when dolls stop speaking?,” they ask.

“In Sura, some of the dolls have come in company while others stand in solitude. Each one of them speaks of belonging and ostracisation, of spiritual parents and guardians,” they add.

The production team includes Giola Cassar, Karl Andrew Micallef, Aaron Bezzina, Jamie Barbara, Stefan Spiteri and Brendon Gauci.

Matyou Galea is in charge of the soundscape.

The exhibition, curated by Elyse Tonna, is supported by Arts Council Malta.

Sura, which runs until May 16, is currently only available online at www.kreattivita.org.