Spaces and Memories huwa proġett artistiku sit-speċifiku li jiġbor flimkien studji kritiċi tal-kolonjalita`, narrattivi etnografiċi u prattiċi inkorporati biex jinvestigaw ir-relazzjonijiet bejn il-ġisem, l-ispazju urban u l-memorja kollettiva fil-Belt Valletta. Ispirat minn stejjer veri ta’ membri tal-komunita` b’mod partikolari dawk marbuta mal-perjodu tal-indipendenza u proċessi storiċi oħra, il-proġett jfittex li jikkontesta n-narrattivi uffiċjali u japprezza l-għarfien komunitarju, inklużi prattiċi kulturali bħal dik tal-Karnival.
Permezz ta’ proċessi ta’ ħolqien kollettiv, l-artisti jiżviluppaw tnax-il xogħol artistiku li jittraduċu x-xhieda orali f’azzjonijiet performattivi, installazzjonijiet u aktar. Il-kollaborazzjoni artistika tippromwovi perspettiva plurali fuq tranżizzjonijiet politiċi u storiċi, kif ukoll qari ta’ narrattivi esperjenzati, u tenfasizza l-memorja bħala qasam ta’ tilwima, affett u interpretazzjoni. Il-ġisem huwa mifhum bħala territorju politiku u arkivju sensittiv li fih jibqgħu mnaqqxa traċċi storiċi u kolonjali, iżda li fl-istess ħin jiġu mistoqsija, rekonfigurati u trasformati permezz tal-prattika artistika, u b’hekk jinfetaħ spazju għal ġesti ta’ qsim u rinnovament.
Flimkien mal-wirja, il-proġett jipproponi rottot effettivi fil-belt, fejn siti urbani speċifiċi jiġu attivati permezz ta’ saffi ta’ memorja personali, preżenza u smigħ. Dan joħloq esperjenza ta’ realtà miżjuda simbolika, fejn il-passat u l-preżent jeżistu flimkien fil-vjaġġ tal-udjenza.
Żviluppat minn Associação Tudanzas u Wylsum Cultura, il-proġett jafferma l-arti bħala prattika bbażata fuq il-komunita`, għodda għall-medjazzjoni interkulturali u strateġija għall-produzzjoni ta’ għarfien kritiku dwar it-territorju, is-sens ta’ appartenenza u l-proċessi dekolonjali.
Ftuħ u Guided Tour (minn Spazju Kreattiv sal-VDC)
Vjaġġ gwidat parteċipattiv madwar il-belt, li jgħaqqad ir-rotta, il-prestazzjoni u l-wirja.
Dawriet / Rappreżentazzjonijiet bil-mixi:
Il-Ġimgħa 27 ta’ Frar fis-6pm
Is-Sibt 28 fit-3pm
AVVENIMENT TA’ GĦELUQ U PRESENTAZZJONI TAR-RIZULTAT ARTISTIKA TAR-RESIDENZA
Data: L-Erbgħa, 25 ta’ Frar, 6:30pm
Post: Valletta Design Cluster
Link ta’ Reġistrazzjoni: Ikklikkja hawn biex tirreġistra
It-taħdita ta’ Spaces and Memories tipproponi spazju ta’ djalogu biex tirrifletti fuq il-proġett innifsu u fuq il-proċessi ta’ riċerka u ħolqien tiegħu, bil-għan li tagħti viżibbiltà lil narrattivi veri mill-komunita` tal-Belt Valletta relatati mal-perjodu tal-indipendenza u proċessi storiċi oħra. Permezz tal-inkorporazzjoni u prattiċi artistiċi varji, il-proġett jesplora kif il-ġisem, l-ispazju urban u l-memorja huma marbuta flimkien, u jikxef is-saffi affettivi, politiċi u soċjali mnaqqxin fit-territorji tal-belt.
F’dan il-laqgħa, il-parteċipanti tal-proġett; artisti minn dixxiplini differenti, jaqsmu l-proċessi kreattivi tagħhom, il-metodoloġiji tax-xogħol u l-istejjer li ġabru, u jiddiskutu kif dawn it-tifkiriet ġew trasformati f’azzjonijiet performattivi u f’formati kreattivi oħra.
Il-proġett huwa żviluppat minn Associação Tudanzas u Wylsum Cultura u ospitat minn Spazju Kreattiv bħala parti mill-Programm tar-Residenzi tal-Artisti, f’kollaborazzjoni mal-Valletta Cultural Agency (VCA) u l-Valletta Design Cluster, biex jippromwovi djalogu bejn il-komunita`, l-artisti u l-pubbliku.
Spaces and Memories Q&A
Għidilna ftit dwarek.
Thaís dos Santos
Jien Thaís dos Santos. Għandi kurżità lejn oqsma artistiċi differenti u interess profond f’proċessi sinifikanti ta’ trasformazzjoni soċjali, riflessjoni b’kritika, u movimenti bbażati fuq il-komunita`.
Ġejja mill-Brażil, minn familja tal-klassi ħaddiem f’imħabba u preżenza, u minn grupp ta’ ħbieb li ħassejt li kienu komunita`, b’privileġġi marbuta mal-kulur tal-ġilda tiegħi u sfidi relatati mal-ġeneru, biss wara li wasalt l-Ewropa sirt tassew konxja tal-importanza tal-kuntesti spazjali, soċjali u kulturali, bil-kumplessitajiet u l-iskoperti kollha tagħhom.
Hemm bżonn urġenti li jinħolqu ċikli li jistgħu jaqsmu fruntieri u jiġġeneraw modi ġodda ta’ ħolqien kollettiv permezz ta’ kollaborazzjoni. Hemm ħafna x’għad fadalli niskopri, nirrifletti u noħloq, u dejjem ikun aħjar meta jsir b’mod kollettiv.
Ludi Adelino
Jien Ludi Adelino, u l-istorja tiegħi taġixxi bħala pont bejn tliet dinjiet. Twelidt fil-Guinea-Bissau, trabbejt fis-Senegal, u fl-età ta’ 14-il sena, id-destin wassalni lejn Spanja. Bħalissa ngħix f’Barcelona, għalkemm ix-xogħol tiegħi jeħodni f’postijiet differenti, dejjem niddefendi l-qawwa trasformattiva tan-nisa u nġorr miegħi t-traċċi tat-tfulija tiegħi.
Minn meta kont żgħira, kont affaxxata mill-kuntesti differenti li fihom jgħixu l-bnedmin, speċjalment in-nisa. Waqt li jien kelli x-xorti nattendi l-iskola ma’ ħuti subien u l-kuġini tiegħi, rajt ħafna mill-ħbieb tiegħi jitilqu mill-iskola fl-età ta’ 12-il sena biex jiżżewġu u jieħdu ħsieb id-dar. Din ir-realta`qajmet fija ħafna mistoqsijiet li għadhom iħeġġuni u jimmotivawni biex naħdem iktar permezz tal-arti, iż-żfin, it-teatru u l-għarfien soċjali biex nibdlu r-realtà tagħna.
Għidilna ftit dwar il-prattika artistika tiegħek u x’inhu jispirak.
Thaís
B’sfond fiż-żfin kontemporanju, prattiċi b’lokazzjoni speċifika, u arti komunitarja, nipprova noħloq spazji esperjenzjali u ħolqien kollettiv permezz tal-moviment. Għandi BA fiż-żfin minn UNICAMP (Brażil), speċjalizzazzjoni (postgraduate) fit-Teknika Klauss Vianna minn PUC-SP (Brażil), u MA fil-Prattiċi tal-Prestazzjoni minn ArtEZ (fl-Olanda), li tiddiskuti prestazzjonijiet b’lokazzjonijiet speċifiċi f’siti ta’ wirt kolonjali.
Ix-xogħol tiegħi jiffoka fuq il-ħolqien ibbażat fuq il-moviment u l-faċilitazzjoni ta’ proċessi artistiċi komunitarji li jikkontestaw il-prestazzjonijiet normattivi tal-ġisem fis-soċjetà, b’enfasi fuq il-ġeneru, il-kolonjalita` u l-klassi.
Ludi
B’iffukar fuq iż-żfin, it-teatru, u l-arti komunitarja, ix-xogħol tiegħi jesplora l-potenzjal tal-arti nnifisha biex tittrasforma r-realtajiet soċjali. Nipprova noħloq spazji ta’ djalogu interkulturali u ta’ għarfien. Għandi interess partikolari fil-faċilitazzjoni ta’ proċessi artistiċi li jindirizzaw il-kwistjonijiet tal-ġeneru, l-identità u d-diviżjonijiet razzjali. L-għan tiegħi hu li noħloq laqgħat kollettivi li jikkontestaw il-konfini, u jippermettulna nirrakkontaw l-istejjer tagħna permezz tal-onesta` tal-ġisem u l-kultura.
X’tittamaw li tistabilixxu matul ir-residenza tagħkom f’Malta?
Thaís
Mill-perspettiva tal-istudji kritiċi tal-kolonjalita`, ir-residenza tiegħi f’Malta għandha l-għan li timmeljora l-fehim tiegħi tal-proċessi ta’ transizzjoni bejn kolonja u indipendenza fi ħdan il-kapitalizmu avvanzat, permezz tal-valur tal-istorji personali, l-esperjenza tal-ġisem, u l-inkarnazzjoni ta’ dawn in-narrattivi. Billi noħloq spazji għas-smigħ u għat-tfassil ta’ narrattivi viżibbli, l-intenzjoni tiegħi hi li nimxi lil hinn mit-test akkademiku u ninvolvi ruħi mal-istorja bħala xi ħaġa li tgħix, tinqasam, tkun marbuta mal-post u tinbena kollettivament.
Li naqsmu l-proċess kreattiv ma’ artisti lokali huwa wkoll ċentrali għall-interess tiegħi li nibni relazzjonijiet kollaborattivi li jappoġġjaw l-espressjoni personali permezz tal-kura kollettiva, u li jrawwmu modi ta’ komunitajiet li japprezzaw id-differenza u jippromwovu prattiċi artistiċi dekolonjali.
Ludi
Matul ir-residenza tiegħi f’Malta, irrid nidħol aktar fil-fond fl-intersezzjonijiet bejn il-memorja kolonjali u l-korporealitajiet tal-migrazzjoni. Għandi interess li nesplora kif id-dixxiplini li jiffurmaw il-qalba tal-espressjoni artistika tiegħi jistgħu jaġixxu bħala għodod biex nifhmu t-tranżizzjoni tal-istorja tagħna. Nixtieq noħloq xogħol li mhux biss jiġbor flimkien realtajiet differenti; bl-appoġġ ta’ artisti lokali, iżda li wkoll jikkontesta strutturi stabbiliti permezz ta’ ħolqien kollettiv li jiflorixxi.
Spaces and Memories is a site-specific artistic creation project that brings together critical studies of coloniality, ethnographic narratives, and embodied practices to investigate the relationships between the body, urban space, and collective memory in Valletta, Malta. Drawing on real stories from community members particularly those connected to the period of independence and other historical processes, the project seeks to challenge official narratives and to value situated community knowledge, including cultural practices such as carnival.
Through collaborative creation processes, artists develop twelve artworks that translate oral testimonies into performative actions, installations, and hybrid formats. Artistic collaboration fosters a plural perspective on political and historical transitions, as well as multiple readings of lived narratives, emphasizing memory as a field of dispute, affect, and interpretation. The body is understood as a political territory and a sensitive archive in which historical and colonial traces remain inscribed, yet are also questioned, reconfigured, and transformed through artistic practice, opening space for gestures of rupture and reinvention.
Alongside the exhibition, the project proposes an effective route through the city, in which specific urban sites are activated through layers of personal memory, presence, and listening. This creates an experience of symbolic augmented reality, where past and present coexist within the audience’s journey.
Developed by Associação Tudanzas and Wylsum Cultura, the project affirms art as a community-based practice, a tool for intercultural mediation, and a strategy for producing critical knowledge about territory, belonging, and decolonial processes.
Opening & Guided Tour (from Spazju Kreattiv to VDC)
A participatory guided journey through the city, combining route, performance, and exhibition.
Tours/walkthrough Performances:
Friday 27 February at 6pm
Saturday 28 at 3pm
CLOSING EVENT & SHARING OF THE RESIDENCY OUTCOMES
Date: Wednesday 25th February, 6:30 pm
Venue: Valletta Design Cluster
Registration link: Click here to register
The roundtable of the project Spaces and Memories proposes a space for dialogue to reflect on the project itself and on its research and creation processes, with the aim of giving visibility to real narratives from the Valletta community related to the period of independence and other historical processes. Through embodiment and diverse artistic practices, the project explores how the body, urban space, and memory are intertwined, revealing affective, political, and social layers inscribed in the city’s territories.
In this encounter, the project’s participants, artists from diverse disciplines will share their creative processes, working methodologies, and the stories they collected, discussing how these memories were transformed into performative actions and other creative formats. The project is developed by Associação Tudanzas and Wylsum Cultura and is hosted by Spazju Kreatttiv as part of the Artists’ Residency Programme, in collaboration with the Valletta Cultural Agency (VCA) and the Valletta Design Cluster, fostering dialogue between the community, artists, and the public.
Spaces and Memories Q&A
Tell us a bit about yourself?
Thaís dos Santos
My name is Thaís dos Santos. I am curious about different artistic fields and deeply interested in meaningful processes of social transformation, critical reflection, and community-based movements.
Coming from Brazil, from a loving and present working-class family, and from a group of friends that felt like a community, with privileges linked to my skin color and challenges linked to my gender, it was only after arriving in Europe that I became deeply aware of the importance of spatial, social, and cultural contexts, with all their challenges and discoveries.
There is an urgent need to create networks that can cross borders and generate new ways of creating together through collaboration. There is still much to discover, to reflect on, and to create, and it is always better when done collectively.
Ludi Adelino
My name is Ludi Adelino, and my story acts as a bridge between three worlds. I was born in Guinea-Bissau, grew up in Senegal, and at the age of 14, fate brought me to Spain. I currently live in Barcelona, although my work takes me to different places, where I always defend the transformative power of women and carry with me the traces of my childhood.
Since I was little, I have been struck by the different contexts in which human beings live, especially women. While I was lucky enough to attend school with my brothers and cousins, I watched my friends drop out of school at the age of 12 to get married and take care of a household. This reality raised many questions in me that still drive and motivate me to work harder through art, dance, theater, and awareness-raising to transform our reality.
Tell us a bit about your art practice and what inspires you?
Thaís
With a background in contemporary dance, site-specific practices, and community art, I seek to create experiential spaces of encounter and collective creation through movement. I hold a BA in Dance from UNICAMP (Brazil), a postgraduate specialization in the Klauss Vianna Technique from PUC-SP (Brazil), and an MA in Performance Practices from ArtEZ (the Netherlands), which discusses site-specific performances in colonial heritage spaces. My work focuses on movement-based creation and on facilitating community-based artistic processes that challenge normative performances of the body in society, with gender, coloniality, and class as their principal axes.
Ludi
With a focus on dance, theater, and community art, my work explores the potential of art itself to transform social realities. I seek to create spaces for intercultural dialogue and awareness. I am particularly interested in facilitating artistic processes that address gender, identity, and racial divides. My goal is to generate collective encounters that challenge boundaries, allowing us to tell our stories from the honesty of the body and culture.
What do you hope to achieve with your residency in Malta?
Thaís
From the perspective of critical studies of coloniality, my residency in Malta aims to deepen my understanding of processes of transition between colony and independence within advanced capitalism, through the valorization of personal histories, lived bodily experience, and the embodiment of these narratives. By creating spaces for listening and for making narratives visible, my intention is to move beyond academic texts and to engage with history as something lived, shared, located, and collectively constructed.
Sharing the creative process with local artists is also central to my interest in building collaborative networks that support personal expression through collective care, fostering ways of making communities that value difference and point toward decolonial artistic practices.
Ludi
During my residency in Malta, I seek to delve deeper into the intersections between colonial memory and migrant corporealities. I am interested in exploring how the disciplines that form the core of my artistic expression can act as tools for understanding the transition and mestizaje of our history. I aspire to create a work that not only brings together diverse realities, with the support of local artists, but also challenges established structures through enriching collective creation.