Galatea "is alive!" exclaimed Ovid in his Pygmalion myth, revealing the inherent wonder and beauty of an ideal sculpture that had assumed a life of its own. A work of art is paradoxically one and separate from its creator leading to an interesting relationship that will be effectively represented in the 2022 Venice Biennale with the Maltese curatorial project Diplomazija astuta.
The team of curators, artists and project managers will be reinterpreting the Early Baroque masterpiece by Caravaggio, The Beheading of St John, to bridge and ground it within, what Prof. Giuseppe Schembri Bonaci called, "the century of metal". One of the interesting things which was emphasised by Schembri Bonaci during the 2021 Malta Pavilion press launch was that the project was to "de-iconise" and simultaneously "de-Caravaggise" Caravaggio. This concept of de-iconising raised several questions not only on the original masterpiece, but also on the development of art itself. Essentially, it is these questions which stand at the crux of this article in the hope that one may edge closer to why Malta would seek to seemingly separate itself from the umbilical cord that gave life to its rich Baroque past.
The concept of de-iconising bears the strong influence of the 20th century developments of a mass-consumerist culture, leading to repetitive façades being produced that arguably de-sensitised society to the original aura of these masterpieces, including Caravaggio's iconic Beheading. However, the emphasis placed upon these two key words, "de-iconise" and "de-Caravaggise", signals a deeper separation that bears the seeds of a new beginning for art in Malta; a poetic birth that recalls Bernard Shaw's Galatea, independently walking away from her master and creator.
Shaw (1856-1950) was a renowned playwright who reinterpreted Ovid's Pygmalion and Galatea myth within a contemporary context. The narrative is loosely based around an artist who creates an ideal woman through ivory that eventually comes to life through the gracious blessing bestowed upon him by the gods. This story was echoed by Shaw in his play Pygmalion, a play about a Professor of phonetics teaching a girl from the gutter how to speak proper English and thus, transcending the classes and barriers of society, making her an independent woman. However, these two stories differ in their ending as Shaw wanted to subvert the conventional idea that Galatea, after gaining life, would marry her creator, similar to Malta's bond with Caravaggio's masterpiece.
George Bernard Shaw. Photograph by Karsh, 1943
As stated by Shaw in his sequel to the play, the relationship between the two protagonists could never be "altogether agreeable", as the creator will always bear an air of superiority over his creation. Galatea would never be truly alive if she did not become independent of her creator, much like a child's separation and independence from its parents leading to subsequent years of maturity and growth. Such is the case of Diplomazija astuta and Caravaggio's Beheading, which molded and shaped the Baroque era within Malta, leading up to the 2022 Venice Biennale where the master will "de-Caravaggised".
In 2021, Prof. Keith Sciberras, co-curator of the Malta Pavilion, outlined the origin of his research and the seminal importance of The Beheading of St John in a podcast with Francesca Balzan for Treasures from Malta. Throughout this interview, Sciberras highlights how Malta is "blessed to have the oratory of the Decollato" and emphasises how "the beheading qualifies as being one of the most extraordinary works" by the master. Throughout his prestigious career, Sciberras has researched the context of Caravaggio in Malta, publishing several books about the seminal Pygmalion-like role the artist had in shaping Malta's Baroque period. He also interestingly mentions the fact that the beheading was "called Il-Caravaggio", revealing the powerful Maltese perception and awe of this masterpiece. This arguably conveys the reason that the Maltese Pavilion is engaging with this particular painting as The Beheading of St John was perceived by the nation as "The Work" by Caravaggio and hence by engaging with it, one was inevitably engaging with the master and his influence on the Maltese artistic identity. During the 1900's, Caravaggio scholarship continued to grow, making Caravaggio "a brand name" leading to what Sciberras called "Caravaggio mania". The influence that Caravaggio had on Maltese art was intensely profound, yet within the 20th century several Maltese artists dared to move forward and become independent from the nation's Baroque past.
The project of the Maltese Pavilion at the 2022 Venice Biennale may possibly be interpreted as a direct challenge; to emerge from the shadow of the Baroque master. By engaging with the Beheading and through the cutting of the umbilical cord, the Pavilion will be bringing Maltese art its overdue liberation. It is here where the connection lies with Shaw's "Galatea", who does not deny the importance of her creator but simultaneously demands her independence from him. During the Malta Pavilion press launch, co-curator Jeffrey Uslip mentioned that the project "holds a mirror to our contemporary imaginary", conveying not only its anchor in Maltese culture but also "our future selves in the present". Diplomazija astuta is a cunning and diplomatic confrontation of the early Baroque master, which not only salutes the original masterpiece by Caravaggio but also declares Malta's independence from it.
To paraphrase the late Prof. Oliver Friggieri's words from his book Fjuri li ma jinxfux, Malta has to engage with everything through the Maltese lens. The Maltese Pavilion will be molding Caravaggio into the Maltese culture, but also separating itself from the icon by "de-iconising" and "de-Caravaggising" him. Therefore, through this project one may look beyond the Baroque shadows towards the new developments within the Maltese artistic sphere, where one can see a germination of a new artistic freedom that recalls Galatea's liberation and independence.
Diplomazija astuta is curated by Prof. Keith Sciberras and Jeffrey Uslip, and the participating artists are Arcangelo Sassolino, Giuseppe Schembri Bonaci and Maestro Brian Schembri. The project managers are Dr Nikki Petroni and Esther Flury. The Venice Biennale will be open to the public from 23 April to 27 November.
The Malta Pavilion is commissioned by Arts Council Malta, under the auspices of the Ministry of National Heritage, The Arts and Local Government.