An artistic expression of poverty and materialism as two human tragedies

Abstract

Through a discussion on the polar opposite realities of poverty and materialism that have befallen mankind through man’s own doing, this project aims to encourage a deeper understanding of what constitutes modern poverty amidst a capitalist society that is plagued not by scarcity but by abundance. In a country experiencing economic growth, the most vulnerable members of society increasingly lag behind as the gap between the rich and the poor grows ever larger. Meanwhile, the man in between all too often allows himself to be fooled into believing that local poverty is negligible or inexistent, or that the poor are only getting what they deserve. Substantiated by academic research and examples throughout history of artworks serving as a social conscience, this project is intended to uncover the reality of contemporary Maltese poverty whilst encouraging the observer to refrain from premature judgement and instead empathise with the poor individual.