Prompted by so much heated debate over the opening of the Malta Contemporary Arts at St James Cavalier on Thursday, I have to share a few of my own thoughts on the whole experience – as a moment in time and as an evolution in Malta.

As far as art goes, the Maltese Islands have never been taken too seriously by the rest of the world or looked on as an artistic trendsetter. Its baroque past and baroque ways never cease to feature in and dominate the minds of those who think of Malta and culture. And thank God the Grand Masters left us something beautiful to look at – since architecture in Malta would otherwise be a total sight for sore eyes.

In the past, concepts in art have been picked up and practised much later by Maltese artists – those who have been washed up on our shores or brought back by those few who managed to get away and return – and up until today only a few contemporary artists are not afraid to break new barriers. Attempts are being made to change things. There is a thirst for innovation, which has been brewing for a long time.

Thursday night opened something that those who are passionate about creativity have been craving – a forward thinking, contemporary art space, slap bang in the middle of a city and social facilitator, the upper gallery of St James Cavalier, Valletta – a hub for the intellectual and the cultured, a centre for creativity. It promises to offer contemporary concepts to the public within and outside the gallery walls, and it will be presenting a quarterly art journal available in Malta and internationally.

Very exciting prospects indeed, but before we get too excited I want to stop a moment to think about the intention. It doesn’t quite weigh up. Something is amiss. The passionate conversations within art circles that followed are testimony to that and a sure indication that there is some trepidation on the part of the public as to whether the initiative of a ‘contemporary’ house of conceptual art will be up to standard and not way over its head. Many of us eagerly attended the opening. A lot of us left with many questions and a little disheartened, to say the least.

Malta and art. Malta and the move towards artistic endeavours – is it legitimate? Are those in control really seeing the potential of art in Malta or is it solely a tool for enriched power and a political calling card? Now that ‘contemporary’ art is accessible to the public, does it mean that we are now cultured and have a say in the art world that has been moving so far ahead without us for so long?

It could be said that the space itself is not large enough to offer a dominating degree of creativity, and that the art on offer at the opening was, on the whole, limited and, overall, not very stimulating. It was not a show as such, rather a spectacle of stiff upper-lip culture-hungry vultures, who were left starved after being packed in like sardines, hanging on every word that the Prime Minister said. The support is there. The efforts are questionable.

The work of the initiator, Mark Mangion, is no doubt commendable and is a step in the right direction, but will his efforts have the interests of Malta and Maltese artists at heart? Are we now, after the opening show, going to see only foreign artists and a small group of artists he knows on a personal level? How cutting edge will his concepts be? Is his vision the right vision? Does Mark Mangion really love Malta or is this his calling card for a connection to the rest of the world and a status he has been craving for a long time? Why did we not hear much about the artists themselves who worked so hard to present their work at the opening? So many unanswered questions.

We are a tiny island, yes. We are told we are limited. But let us not forget that Malta, with all its limitations and overpowering mediaeval way of thinking in so many respects, has produced and nurtured some cutting edge thinkers and artistic creators who have done and are doing a lot of good to take Malta out of the past and into the future.

Let’s hope that not only does the bridge of artistic exchange with the rest of Europe and the world remain active and continue to grow, but also that those involved honour this country without making art just for the elite and a tool for power. Art is for everyone, of all ages, cultures, gender... it does not even have to be understood. Art colours and has the power to enrich. It breathes and acts as a devise for the sharing of ideas, reflecting life and issues, and as a provoker of thought. Let’s also hope that freedom of expression will go hand in hand with this moment of artistic enrichment and finally puts Malta on the artistic map and works in our favour.

We have not even scratched the surface with what Malta and Maltese artists can offer. I, and a lot of people, will just have to wait and see how the move and development of the Malta Contemporary Arts at St James, and the attitude towards art in Malta, will progress. For now, we are seeing how things move. It can’t go wrong, can it?

Ms Agius is a qualified art historian