No society is simple, even on a tiny island like ours. All institutions have an effect on the people − on their morals, values and modes of thought. The lack of contemporary visual art in Malta is a problem that needs to be tackled on a wider spectrum rather than just focusing on the church alone. However, I would like to make one last point on the issue.

In his article dated 31 July, Dr Giuseppe Schembri Bonaci states that the Church still plays a determining role in our society. In my opinion, recent events have shown that this institution still has a tight grip on social and cultural factors but this role is more subtle than it was a few years ago. The Church can’t afford to be blatant anymore otherwise its number of followers will decrease at a much faster rate than they already are. The Church’s role may be less obvious but the effects are not any less visible; censorship is one example. By putting contemporary art in a bad light, be it theatre, visual art, literature or cinema, the Church is not allowing for a change in mentality. Obviously this is not true for all those who form part of this establishment. Like Dr Schembri Bonaci, I too believe that one who thinks that religion played no part in the censorship case is naïve.

So what can be done to change the perspective of the general public on contemporary art? The answer is education. From a young age we have had boundaries set by rigid syllabi covering only a few disciplines. Art and culture seem to have been forgotten, that is, until we enter sixth form. Then we are forced to take systems of knowledge lessons, as without them we would be unable to enter the University of Malta. I can still remember the mixed reaction in my class when contemporary art was introduced to us. Some laughed, some looked appalled by the events that brought about these shifts in what we understand as art. Trying to explain the changes that occurred in the early 20th century in 40 minutes is a challenge for any lecturer. How are students supposed to understand? By understanding something we can start to appreciate it and be more likely to welcoming it into our society.

One thing I love is seeing school groups in modern and contemporary art museums. These children are being exposed to contemporary art at a young age in other countries, so why can’t Maltese children be offered these opportunities? If contemporary art is not being exposed to the public and supported by the dominant institutions then our visual culture is going to fall behind that of others, as it already is.

Maybe education is not the only factor in changing our attitude to the arts but it is definitely a start in altering the attitude towards that which we find incomprehensible.

Nicola Petroni