The Search for a Space consisted of a series of five shows that took place over the past few weeks between the beginning of April and the end of May, with the final show coming to an end only last week. The shows took place in a number of different spaces scattered around Malta, and involved a variegated group of artists, ranging from young to old, local to international. The Search for a Space was quite an unusual happening for our islands, and set out to challenge longstanding limitations to the local contemporary art scene and a public that often prefers to sit back rather than standing up to take action.

All of this might sound like a much too familiar whine, a clichéd lament that has repeatedly been expressed by those involved in the local art scene. However, this does not lessen its significance; on the other hand it reveals the kind of ears this protest is falling on.

The idea for The Search for a Space came in fact from the lack of proper space for contemporary art in Malta. “For a while now, I had been trying to get people interested in setting up a professionally run art space with vision", Mark says, "The contemporary artist and the public need a space where the two can meet, which however does not exist. This was a response to that void."

Curating these shows was exciting and interesting but extremely tiring and difficult, Mark tells me, having set out on the project practically single-handedly, with an incredibly small budget to work with. Local governmental authorities linked to the arts and culture were not helpful in any way. “Two foreign supporters came through to save the day.” Five years ago Mark was the curator of another innovative show, UBER, which attempted to bring artists into the group space and provoked the formation of local artists’ group Start. The Search for a Space again strived to bring together all kinds of artists, and literally searched for an appropriate place where contemporary art could be exhibited. The shows in fact used alternative spaces like Biago Steps, a Valletta residence and the Marsa Open Centre.

Mark is open and liberal as a curator, and the material exhibited in the shows was not limited by any strict rules of style or organisation. “This project was not about making five complete shows, which were monumental and easily successful. It was more about a process of questioning the artwork and curation to varying degrees,” Mark points out, “It was not about blowing people away with the most amazing work, but trying to dig holes within the framework of what art is and can be.” My personal experience of the shows was a refreshingly random witnessing of works that were loosely or indirectly linked and in varying stages of the creative process. This defied simplistic expectations and gave way to individual experimentation.

Mark has been working internationally as an artist for the past 10 years, yet chose to embark on this project in Malta, where so many difficulties present themselves. “I always feel that Malta needs the change and I honestly want to see this happen. Why shouldn’t I or any other artist be able to be proud to be based here and contribute to the Maltese culture as well as to international culture? I believe in Malta even though it makes me angry.”

Mark is very satisfied with the shows, however is a little tired and disillusioned with the island. “The local art scene is poor but improving and there are a few striking and seeking change,” he says, “The Government and the private sector do close to nothing to push the contemporary art scene forward. They do not invest funds in art that is challenging and trying to move ahead of its time or at least in synch. Instead they applaud structures and ideas that are stagnant and old.” Mark continues that the Government has invested in inadequate spaces such as St James Cavalier, which in reality have little vision for contemporary art, while the cultural authorities continue to spend money on mediocre projects which might have some commercial viability but are never interesting projects. “We demand support not to create craft for some package tourist but to generate our own ideas which they will find challenging and which most importantly will create a heritage for future generations, which is not about irrelevant religious painting or boat scenes, but about serious ideas that challenge our perceptions and stimulate thought and questioning,” he claims. In such a scenario Mark believes that the only way is for artists to form a support community to push things forward and gain the power to make demands from the country. “I do wish there was more discussion among local artists. Many of the artists never attended the open discussions organised alongside the shows, which removed what would have been an important part of the whole process. I also think that Maltese artists have not pushed themselves enough in terms of being aware of what is happening in the world around them and afar.”

Such factors explain a public that is not up to date as it has not had “the proper educational structure to educate it”. Other factors contributing to the void are the absence of a practice based art school at the University of Malta and inexistent free or subsidized studio programmes for artists.

One of the most striking of the shows was the third one, Asylum Seekers, which took the Marsa refugees’ open centre as its setting. “This was the most difficult territory to work in but it ended up being the easiest and most exciting,” Mark says, “All the community shared in the project. The space was radical in its structure for showing art. It was charged without the work being there, so though the focus was the work, the real and lived in environment could not be removed or superseded.” The exhibits were installed outdoors as well as inside the centre, with provoking works such as that of Anthony Haughey from Ireland who produced a two-channel film in which he asked members of the Open Centre community and the Maltese people the same question, What is your idea of the model citizen? In his piece, Citizen, the power structure shifted as a refugee led the discussion with the Maltese people.

In Mark’s piece Sports Structures in Spaces, he created an architectural intervention, which incorporated the construction of a bocci pitch within the dilapidated grounds of the centre. “It functioned as a generous act, which the community could use and appropriate. It became their little oasis within their hanging world.”

All of the shows were challenging and questioning in a number of ways. The final show for instance, consisted of a number of pieces invading the rooms on the ground floor of the National Museum of Fine Arts, in which the new met the old and an unexpected interaction was stimulated.

“These shows had to happen here,” Mark concludes, “They are specific to a climate which does not act or respond. They demand change and forward looking.” Let us hope the message does gets through.