Prime Minister’s Jab Echoes Everything Wrong With Malta’s Art Scene, Prominent Painter Says
A prominent Maltese painter and author has hit out at Prime Minister Robert Abela’s recent rant about books and blogs, warning that this rhetoric is damaging and dangerous to aspiring artists.
“Having an influential figure, like the Prime Minister, suggest that one must choose between books and blogs or else join the winning team in generating wealth is divisive,” Ryan Falzon told Lovin Malta.
On Sunday, Robert Abela reacted indirectly to a scathing new publication by anti-corruption activist Robert Aquilina, which includes unpublished court documents, emails, reports, and a 400-page financial investigation on the infamous Pilatus Bank. He addressed his critics and said, “stick to books and blogs whilst we continue to lead”.
This attitude echoes the current stagnant state of arts in Malta, Falzon said.
“Robert Abela’s sweeping statement, which positions us versus them, feels like the “make hay while the sun shines” statement from a few years ago in reverse. In summary, the message is: let us generate wealth, regardless of what wealth means or who benefits from it, while others waste time investigating the truth and presenting it in books and blogs,” the artist said.
Artists, intellectuals, and critics, the painter warned, “have been relegated to mischievous children at the back of the room playing their games while the adults deal cards at the table.”
“From the perspective of a visual artist and author, so much for the artistic economy, cultural development, social engagement in the arts, fairs, and biennales,” he said, arguing that the government’s “commitment to community outreach” with projects like Valletta 18 Capital of Culture.
“Meanwhile, the art scene continues to dream in delusion. All the talk of community outreach and inclusion falls flat when a prime minister relegates a powerful medium to a hobby.”
“The current state-of-the-art scene is comfortable and, for various interests and personal gains, appears disinterested in much-needed subversion. Such a statement could have a problematic and dangerous effect on aspiring artists,” he said.
“While the statement may have had political undertones and oblique references to individuals who employ blogs and books to criticize, as is their right and obligation, deprecating wealth in the form of text in favor of material wealth highlights the dearth of appreciation for culture and the arts.”
Moreover, Falzon added, it discourages any form of critical thinking, and analysis and challenges an industry already on shaky grounds.
“This is particularly noteworthy given the present challenges confronting the publishing industry in terms of inflation, and with printed books battling against the digital influx.”
Community outreach in the arts transcends the mere identification of an existing event, amplifying it, and presenting a populist approach in the form of a festa, a larger festa, and an even larger festa.
His reference to community outreach in this context is premised on the ascending model, as presented during events such as V18 Capital of Culture.
Presently, he continued, there is little distinction in the dissemination of the art crafts, artisans, Arts with a capital A, traditions, and culture.
“It appears as though they are all interrelated and do not exist distinctly. Furthermore, several practices afford self-proclaimed artists platforms to showcase their work on par with professionals, thereby perpetuating mediocrity.”
Robert Abela’s neglectful jab and a lack of constructive critique culture among other factors mentioned contribute to Malta’s “prima donna” attitude.
“Malta is a prima donna island with an attitude that prioritizes shining in any way possible, as long as the hand that feeds is not even slightly irritated.”
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