It may be clearly observed that the arts are currently undergoing a global cultural crisis due to the perpetual pursuit for unabashed financial supremacy. Universities and other educational institutions are being regarded as investment opportunities, and the drive towards employability, which has now become a major criterion with which to assess the quality of a university, has signified the general reduction of funding towards the humanities. My year at University College London was marked by constant discussion over the expansion of the university, which several students were rebelling against due to the business approach employed for such a venture. It is worrying that a leading university should dedicate so much energy to financial matters and not think of increasing the level of education as well as the size of the campus.
Similarly, museums have transformed from places of study to cogs in the tourist industry machine. It is practically impossible to appreciate Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling or Manet's Olympia at the Musée d'Orsay with the quantity of restless people practically pushing and shoving, the disturbing sound of constant chatter and camera clicks, as well as hearing frustrated gallery assistants begging visitors to keep quiet.
These neoliberal developments in institutional structures belong to a global economic shift. It would be impossible, moreover futile, to wish for things to go back to the way they once were. It would be more effective to adjust to present opportunities and to exploit these to increase the standard of education together with cultural awareness. Investment and financial gain are extremely important, but not at the expense of knowledge. The task to increase knowledge in humanities subjects should be a priority as these cultivate minds and engender critical thought.
Last year I came across a striking bit of news which should serve as a model for the future of Malta's cultural scene. The mayor of Málaga in Spain, a place inhabited by 570,000 citizens and visited for its beach culture (very much like Malta), decided to change the character of tourism and to improve cultural resources in the city. Around 8 million euros were invested to set up offshoots of the Centre Georges Pompidou (Paris) and the State Russian Museum (St. Petersburg), two of the most prestigious art institutions worldwide, to increase cultural activity. They succeed the establishment of another two modern and contemporary art museums which were opened in Málaga in 2003. The city has suddenly developed into a thriving cultural hub and several visitors are choosing to visit their museums rather than the overcrowded ones in major cities.
This is a perfect example of cultural and financial investment with art taking centre stage. It is very rare to find peripheral towns and cities which give so much importance to the arts. It is rather upsetting to see that unlike Málaga, Malta has numerous cultural and historical sites and art, but as yet we have not exploited these to their full potential. Several countries have long-standing stable cultural infrastructures whilst Malta's is still maturing, and so we need to work slightly harder than others who possess more resources. The field is more competitive for us, but this fact should not deter us from trying, quite the opposite.
In an article titled 'The exportation of thought' published in this paper (August 2, 2015) Giuseppe Schembri Bonaci argued for the rather urgent need for Malta to be competitive and brave when it comes to foreign policy. Today, many seem to forget that art and culture are what attract people towards a nation and so there needs to be constant investment in this sector.
Infrastructures need to be improved locally. Discussions on the opening of museum dedicated to Maltese modern art has been ongoing for decades. The quality and available quantity of the works of leading modern artists is overwhelming and also grossly underrated. People need to see and interact with these significant works of art. I am always impressed with the positive reaction of international academics and artists who are exposed to such work, very much due to the efforts of the Department of History of Art at the University of Malta which strives for constant international cooperation.
Fine Arts students have no place where they can see and study Maltese modern art, where they could learn from our 20th century masters and build upon the radical aesthetic developments which they proposed. They are practically unaware of Josef Kalleya, Antoine Camilleri, George Preca, Anton Inglott, Carmelo Mangion, Willie Apap, even after graduating with honours degrees. These are names which we should become acquainted with at secondary school. I do remember discussing Picasso in art class but never any Maltese artists, except for Caravaggio who has now been culturally adopted as one of our own.
Lots of foreign investment is entering into Malta and so are the Maltese broadening their business perspectives. The present is a fertile time to improve the infrastructure of Maltese art, especially that of the 20th and 21st centuries. I am aware that certain plans are currently underway but we must push harder. It is a dream of many for Malta to have a world-class museum of modern art which will also include the works of major foreign artists and which will export Maltese modern art to global cosmopolitan centres. The same energy should be injected into our university which is full of potential yet which suffers due to the lack of competition.
Just because major institutions seem set on lowering standards in order to improve financially does not mean that Malta should follow suit. On the contrary, Malta should spearhead through to appear headstrong and innovative to other nations. To reiterate Dr Schembri Bonaci's statement: 'identity earns respect by virtue of what is offered'. It is by placing ourselves on the international map that other nations will admire and appreciate our culture, but to do so will take lots of courage.