In recent decades, the use of recycled materials has emerged as a significant trend in contemporary art. The practice brings up several questions in connection with sustainability, consumerism and as well as the role of art in negotiating and contributing to the discussion. Coastal Commons frames these questions within the backdrop of Malta’s shoreline, quite literally. Concluding on June 27 after a 10-day site-specific initiative near the sailing club in Birżebbuġa, this project by Unfinished Art Space brought together local artist Sheldon Saliba and international artist Joachim Romain in an attempt to create a piece that reflects the space through the eyes, experiences and needs of the local community.
The emphasis on ‘Reflection’ and ‘Community’ on the signs placed around the piece as well as on the pamphlets available to the visitors is heavy, to say the least. In itself this is not a negative aspect; in fact, both Elyse Tonna, the curator, and Unfinished Art Space have previously demonstrated how engagement with space through art can produce work that is very nuanced, unique, and meaningful. However, leaning too heavily on the liminality and neutrality of space can create pieces that feel vague, ambiguous and insubstantial.
The piece in question has two main elements. An open storage structure contains a few see-through crates housing materials such as fishing nets, ropes, pieces of plastic and styrofoam. Apart from the crates there are also simpler elements, namely jerry cans covered with a matte, light blue coating, and boules that have been painted yellow. The materials used were gathered during a beach cleanup held six days before the final exhibit, in collaboration with the NGO Żibel as well as a number of local volunteers. Forming part of the residency of this project, the artists also had the opportunity to converse with locals about their experiences, gathering stories and different points of view of the space and what the space needs. Whether or not this multiplicity is seen in the final piece, or whether the latter meets the needs of the locals are definitely things that you might find yourself questioning while interacting with the piece.
One the one hand, the liminality and absence of a clear message is a somewhat fair reaction to the space, since this a spot that sits between a beach and a working port, however, as far as practicality goes, the final exhibition is essentially just crates that you can sit on and boules that can be thrown around in a simplistic game. The piece will remain on-site on a permanent basis for anyone who wishes to interact and make use of the objects. The piece is inoffensive, but it does not have much to say either. There is no mention, for example, of the large amount of waste that was picked up during the beach clean-up.
Along with Żibel, the project also boasts co-fundings from the European Union and the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector as well as collaborations with OTRart and the Birżebbuġa Local Council itself. In light of all these supporters, especially the latter, one questions to what extent collaboration can stop being supportive and instead water down whatever message or critique the artists could produce in a more isolated space. On the last day of the project, performance artist Charlene Galea used movement to engage with the piece. Galea held, carried, rested and played with the objects. This interaction too, was quite neutral.
It is hard to critique an exhibit that feels this muted. I can’t hate it, but I can’t really feel anything else towards it either. Perhaps someone might see a clear purpose to the piece, or on the other side of things, someone might interpret it as a waste of resources and a disappointing anti-climax to what was otherwise a very well-intentioned and sustainable initiative.
