Esplora in collaboration with the 2017 Maltese Presidency of the Council of the European Union this week launched the 'Shadows of Malta's Times' project.
The project, which is fully financed by the Presidency uses the art of shadow puppetry, light, music and science to recount a story. Shadow's of Malta's Times is a one hour show and is aimed at primary school children. Esplora's outreach team will be visiting during primary state schools during April and May 2017.
'Shadow's of Malta's Times', was led by by Austrian dramaturg Martina Winkel who has written the original script. It was a devised theatre project done in collaboration with the artists: Abigail Williams, the narrator, Ian Caruana, the musician and Sarah Galea, the puppeteer.
The shadow puppetry project aligns events, understood as components of the Timeline of Maltese History, to present a bigger coherent image of contemporary Malta as it bridges the arts with the sciences and weaves them into one narrative which becomes part of Malta's culture. Shadow theatre in itself is full of scientific concepts related to optics, shadows, transparent/non-transparent materials, and colours. This project presents the country's unique cultural milieu as a rich hybrid bridging the varied art forms and artistic expressions. The latter shall see the concept of 'Water' as its basic and underlying theme since water was the medium by which most empires came to Malta. Water is also symbolic with the Mediterranean and Migration, while it is also the basic requirement for 'Life' as we know it.
The theme of water also reflects the underlying main theme of the 2017 Maltese Presidency of the Council of the EU, where Migration, Mediterranean and Maritime hold centre-stage.
Malta Council for Science and Technology Executive Chairman Jeffery Pullicino Orlando explains, "We believe that science is an integral part of everything around us and in all activities we engage in. All visitors whether students or families, experience science as relevant, exciting, enjoyable and personally attainable. The centre encourages people to be intrigued, discuss and engage with science and technology. We strive to see a cultural change whereby science is regarded as enjoyable, enticing, intriguing and accessible to all."
He added that one of the Centre's aims is to try bridging the gap between Art and Science by communicating and embracing science through the Arts.
During her introduction Esplora Director Rachael Blackburn said that the collaborative project encompasses the emerging concept of STEAM, which aligns Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics. She added that art brings the additional factor of creativity within the research and innovation sphere and as such and whenever possible, such collaborations are encouraged at Esplora.