Have you ever named an inanimate object such as your car, your boat, a musical instrument or piece of equipment like a camera or your mobile phone? Did you ever feel that giving an object a name somehow makes it more human, more relatable?

If you did, don’t worry you are not alone and it’s a pretty common practice. It’s so common in fact that we even have a name for it, anthropomorphism. The process of naming something also gives it identity. Children do it all the time and the adults in their life are easily roped into the child’s world where a worn-out soft toy not only has a name but also a character and the toy quickly becomes part of the family.

Rupert Cefai

But the process is not limited to toys, we also name ships, swords and atomic bombs. It is also a very common practice in art. Very few artists keep their artworks unnamed, and in many cases, artists use the name of an artwork to link the artist’s intentions to the viewer’s interpretation.

One such case is Rupert Cefai’s latest collection of works exhibited at Il-Kamra ta’ Fuq in Mqabba. The exhibition titled ante, curated by Melanie Erixon, is a collection of works presented together as a critique of aspects of contemporary society, dealing with subjects such as environmental degradation, power and its abuse, truths and beliefs.

lie to me

The artist’s choice of subjects reflects quite a classical approach. A ballerina, a knight, a girl holding a flower, a cardinal, putti and a character from a fairy tale all form part of this assortment of subjects that the artist uses to convey a message. The message is always twofold, one that reminds us of the classical ideal and the second part, with the use of external objects, Cefai reminds us of an undercurrent of hypocrisy, danger, lies or broken dreams.

The name of each painting gives identity and meaning to each work and creates a set of parameters that guide the viewer’s interpretation. Lie to me is the classical ballerina painting, the embodiment of beauty and grace. The ballerina, wearing a tiara, a symbol of power that beauty has on all of us, is also wearing a long carrot nose, a reminder of what happens to those who tell lies but also the same nose that snowmen have, those with a frozen heart.

Each of these works convey the message that art can be used as a starting point for a broader discussion about our contemporary society and its malaises

One cannot but wonder if the lie the artist is referring to is the power of beauty that fades with time or the beauty of power which in the end always turns out to be an illusion.

figli di putti II

Two works from the same series titled figli di putti (with a clear reference to the Italian expression) also form part of this collection. This series portrays putti, or rather their offspring, who maintained their appearance of saintly beings but now, after exposure to life, started showing signs of other earthly qualities and necessities. One is wearing a gas mask, because even the heavens have become polluted, while the other is wearing a red nose, a reminder that even those who act like angels can be clowns.

Another important piece where the name definitely plays an important role is ħanżir u primadonna. A Maltese pig, somewhat of a symbol of greed (titħanżer) is also a prima ballerina. He is showing off to the eager audience his ability to multitask, both going en pointe and juggling blue and red balls as a statement on his control on power.

anġlu bellu

This leads us to the largest piece of the collection titled anġlu bellu. A cardinal-cum-angel, dressed in high-heels and a latex bubonic plague mask holds a large lollipop. No need for much explanation here either but these two works remind us that Cefai has a long history as an editorial cartoonist where symbolism and sarcasm with a pinch of irreverence are always useful.

Each of these works convey the message that art can be used as a starting point for a broader discussion about our contemporary society and its malaises. Art might not solve all our problems, but it can definitely start a much-needed discussion of where we’re heading and where we ought to go.

Ante, curated by Melanie Erixon, is on till October 8 at Il-Kamra ta’ Fuq. For more information, follow Il-Kamra ta’ Fuq on Facebook/Instagram.