It-Tragedja tas-Separazzjoni by Vince Briffa.

The Malta Stock Exchange is sponsoring an art exhibition, curated by artist Adrian Scicluna, within the Exchange building at the Garrison Chapel at Castille Place in Valletta.

The exhibition investigates notions of connectivity, with participating artists presenting works that explore the theme not merely from an interest in instruments and infrastructures, but by acknowledging the phenomena of what connectivity says about us.

The exhibition features works by artists, Matthew Attard, Noel Attard, Vince Briffa, Clint Calleja, Glen Calleja and Sandro Spina, Giola Cassar, Valerio Schembri, Adrian Sciculna, Sarah Maria Scicluna and Darren Tanti.

“Clint and Valerio link religion with mo­dern communication technology. Through the use of metaphor Valerio investigates inclusion and exclusion in society; while Clint references the Tower of Babel from the Bible, sending a cautious message that we must be wary of today’s communication technology,” Scicluna explains.

He continues how Darren Tanti’s painting connects two realities, exploring how Eastern and Western contemporary and historical culture influence each other and subsequently merge.

Clint Calleja references the Tower of Babel from the Bible, sending a cautious message that we must be wary of today’s communication technology

“Matthew’s suspended dead bodies connect us to a narrative of unfortunate migrants. As we move around Matthew’s sculptures they become remnants of a narrative, a place or an event. And, whereas Matthew’s sculptures speak of a specific event in time and space, Glen and Sandro’s video installation speaks of the continuous calibration of living organisms to other life forms as it continues to extend into virtual environments,” Scicluna continues.

Permutations by Giola Cassar.

Noel Attard links the theme to a philosophical text by Friedrich Nietzsche, where invisible threads are seen as the strongest ties. Noel gives this philosophy physical materiality. He sculpts this line quite literally, linking the abstract world.

Through the relationship between Giola Cassar and her mother we start to understand how hairstyles literally shape how Giola is perceived and how she perceives herself and others.

“Both Sarah-Maria and I employ juxtapositions of memories, thoughts and events imagined or otherwise to tease out narratives. How the narratives connect and narrate is left to the viewer,” the curator adds.

Finally, Vince Briffa reflects on separation, the pain of emotional distancing.

“Love makes us vulnerable to tragedy as the strongest pain from separation is when we have a powerful emotional bond with someone.”

The exhibition runs until April 21.

Interactions by Sarah Maria Scicluna.