Valletta exhibition questions
“We favour the simple expression of the complex thought. We are for the large shape because it has the impact of the unequivocal. We wish to reassert the picture plane. We are for flat forms because they destroy illusion and reveal truth.”
In 1943, Mark Rothko and Adolph Gottlieb vocalised their thoughts and concerns on the relationship between artists, artworks and the audience in a joint manifesto, which was originally published in the New York Times, that same year. In this manifesto, Rothko and Gottlieb describe their understandings of artistic practice in relation to the audience.
With this in mind, Simple Expressions of Complex Thoughts is an exhibition curated by the present author, as part of the Strada Stretta programme within the Valletta Cultural Agency, on the occasion of maltabiennale.art 2024.
In today’s world, the shock value in art is being questioned further, especially in relation to the notions of provocation and controversy. Do we need to shout to make ourselves heard? Do we need to spark controversy to challenge the times? Do we need to succumb to trends to remain relevant?
Such questions merit reflection, especially in an age when nothing seems to shock anymore; when everything has been done and there seems to be no further boundaries to push, or rules to break. Perhaps it is through the subtle nuances, the simple expressions of complex thoughts, that one may find meaning. Meaning is no more than a connection, and that connection is fostered by the marriage between the picture and the onlooker, the artist and the audience, which ultimately does not necessarily have to be imposed.
Simple Expressions of Complex Thoughts thus stems from Rothko and Gottlieb’s manifesto, as a contemporary understanding of their established principles, which seem to have been lost due to the over-searching for meaning. In a society that is drowned in complexity, this exhibition encourages the viewer to look towards simplicity, thus fostering a connection between the artworks and the audience.
However, as Hans Georg-Gadamer describes, one mustn’t limit their perspective to a singular worldview. Rather, one should look at the fusion of horizons. Culture does not exist in a vacuum. Complex are the thoughts that are present and evoking within society, but simple is their transmission to the public.
With this in mind, perhaps the nexus of this exhibition is in fact its means of reflection. From a socio-political and cultural context, this exhibition offers the opportunity for the viewers to reflect on a number of affairs, primarily stemming from personal experience. The simple expressions of complex thoughts are ultimately no more than a reflection of ourselves, our state of being, and our frame of mind.
As previously mentioned, the reason why we are drawn to certain works and not others is because we are drawn to their aura. Their aura aligns with our aura – the personal and the universal become one, united by a global search for meaning amidst complexity.
The exhibition centres its focus as an amalgamation of several elements: ranging from the artworks to the set-design, atmosphere and viewer experience. Conceptually, it is divided in a narrative-like structure, though it is devoid of a linear narrative pattern. Rather, it focuses on the derivation of Rothko and Gottlieb’s words and critically analyses their relation to the contemporary day.
Upon entering the venue, the exhibition is divided between three rooms, with each room serving the purpose of a different Act. Act I (Main Room), consists of painterly works by Lihong Bai (CHN) and Alex Dalli (MT), as well as photographs by Luke Azzopardi (MT) and sculptures by Antoine Farrugia (MT) and Aaron Bezzina (MT). This room falls