https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/125418 2026-05-13T15:34:26Z 2026-05-13T15:34:26Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/125620 2024-08-22T07:49:02Z 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Going underwater : perspectives from the eyes of an artistic swimmer : a personal exploration through an audio-visual practice-based project Abstract: As a little girl, if someone had to ask me what I wanted to be when I grow up, I would say that I wanted to be a mermaid. I had this obsession with mermaids and their interaction with the underwater world. The closest thing I could do to become a mermaid was to go to swimming lessons. Later on, a two-time Olympic champion, Saho Harada (1982-), approached me during one of my swimming lessons and asked me if I would like to try a sport called synchronised swimming. At the time, I had no idea what this sport entailed, as it was Harada herself who introduced this sport to the island in 2010 when she came to Malta to learn English and was surprised that this sport was not practiced here. Since I am always on the lookout for new experiences, I went for it and due to that decision, I am where I am today, twelve years later, an ex-artistic swimming athlete and currently passing my knowledge about this beautiful sport to younger athletes as a coach. When I entered the University of Malta and decided to read for a Bachelor of Arts in History of Art and Fine Arts back in 2021 and later choosing Fine Arts for the Honours Degree, I always believed that this sport would be featured in my final dissertation project. I would interact with mediums or media that I learned and refined during the last three years in fine art practice. One example could be photography, which featured in the study unit titled ‘Grammar of Photography’ taught by Dr. Gilbert Calleja, and other study units, for the audience to put themselves in my shoes, or better to say, in my swimsuit and experience, what it is like being immersed in water with other athletes from a different perspective. With the technological advances we have today, I aim to create a multi-media installation where the audience can immerse themselves into it. I want to create an experience where my personal relationship with the sport and artistic practice, such as photography and videography, merge together. Instead of showing what happens out of the water, as one typically sees in the sport, I want to show the sport from another perspective, that is, the underwater perspective. With this in mind, I aim to replicate an underwater pool environment in an enclosed space, by using light, sound and projections. These projections would show multiple videos taken from under the water and will be presented on the walls, with athletes taking over them, as they perform different movements involving the whole body submerged under the water. With my final project installation, I hope to bring the audience closer to my vision of the project and also to an important part of my life. The audience will be allowed to feel what it is like to be an athlete in a water sport, through a variety of senses, through an audio-visual practice-based project. Description: B.A. (Hons)(Melit.)

2024-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/125603 2024-10-29T14:18:57Z 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: A practice-based exploration of the aesthetics of the sea and environmental concerns Abstract: The aim of my dissertation is to explore the aesthetics of the sea as a means of reflecting concern towards the degradation of this space as a result of pollution. This exploration adopts the interplay of colour and the use of text, projection and audio within a multimedia installation to convey the topic of this dissertation. The motivation to engage with the theme of marine pollution, stemmed from my connection with the sea. Growing up on an island, surrounded by the sea, this space has given me profound joy and visual pleasure. I have been deeply concerned by the escalating visibility of pollution, prompting me to question its presence and implications. My inquiry into environmental issues is not something that developed recently, it has been nurtured by the passionate environmentalism of those around me, who have actively shaped my perspective. Their influence fostered a heightened awareness of nature’s fragility and human negligence towards the environment. Thus, it was a natural process for me to consider how I could contribute to an awareness of marine pollution through my artistic praxis. I have aimed to approach the subject with humility, recognizing that my insights are shaped by personal experiences and understanding. I have endeavoured to avoid any implication of unrestricted knowledge or superiority in my writing, viewing this work as a journey of discovery, I am committed to further exploring the complexities of this topic. Inspired by personal experience and grounded in theory, this artistic project engages with a range of artists from the Romantic period to Contemporary artists, to discover the complex issues involved in marine pollution and west-centric man’s contribution to the degradation of this space. Analysing the work of historical representation of the marine landscape has been invaluable in mapping west-centric man’s involvement in the march of capitalism, colonialism, and consumerism. Furthermore, engaging with Land Art from the early 1960s till the late 1980s has revealed the diverse approaches taken by these artists. Some employed acts of destruction to evoke displacement and prompt reflection on the transcendence of humanity’s connection to the land. Others displayed a symbiotic interaction with nature, pertinently reflecting its fragility. Research for this dissertation has revealed that contemporary artists revisit themes of colonialism, consumption, and capitalism sparking discussion on the inevitable presence of pollution in the sea because of these issues. As a practicing artist, I seek to interpret issues of pollution through a multimedia installation. By focusing on the aesthetics of the sea, I hope to visually engage my audience to reflect on a narrative of pollution that has drastically deteriorated the environment of the sea. I hope to encourage my audience to reflect on the interconnectedness of life and nature. Description: B.A. (Hons)(Melit.)

2024-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/125600 2024-08-22T07:45:54Z 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Moving an audience through the act of painting : exploring emotion and expression Abstract: This dissertation has given me the opportunity to further explore my self-expression by fusing my two passions, performance and painting. They have been a big part of who I am as a person from the very beginning of my childhood and have served as the inspiration for my artistic practice throughout these three years at the University of Malta. The research, experimentation and the ideas generated throughout this project have allowed me to realise that they all stem from the essence of the individual. All art can be personal, can investigate the ‘event’, communicate and move an audience through ‘line’. Cy Twombly’s notion on the ‘event’ and ‘line’ have been central to the theoretical framework of my project. He has been one of my biggest inspirations, allowing me to view the ‘line’ as something beyond its surface. Through painting and performance, the ‘event’ is explored, where the artist’s expression is finally externalised and materialised through the ‘Line’, the final result. Throughout this dissertation, I use my passions performance and painting, to create brushstrokes and movements that explore this ‘event’ and celebrate the narrative behind the ‘line’ and the emotional expression of the individual. The four chapters have been structured in a way that tells the story of my expression. It narrates the development of my project throughout these past months, and aims to move the reader through my thought process, experimentation and research. The first chapter establishes the areas on which my theme touches upon, those being psychology, philosophy and expression found in paintings and performance art. Contemporary creatives such as Twombly and Pina Bausch have inspired me in my initial experimentation with paint and collaborative performance research workshops, which are discussed in chapter two. Additionally, the interviews can be considered in the context on how they have given fresh perspectives on expression and movement in art, which are further developed in chapter three. Here, the live performance along with exhibited painting are discussed in detail in reference to the ‘event’, ‘line’ and creative act. In chapter four, the project comes to a close, where I reflect on the challenges and learning experiences raised throughout the project and how they have improved my artistic practice. Description: B.A. (Hons)(Melit.)

2024-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/125596 2024-08-22T07:44:40Z 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Form and meaning in the lines of Antoine Camilleri Abstract: The primary aim of this research is to dissect the diverse typologies of lines present in Antoine Camilleri's (1922-2005) creations, juxtaposed with those of artists who may have influenced him. The concept of lines impacts many aspects of life, including how artists express themselves. A line can be voiced in several ways, reflecting the artist's style and thinking method. The notion of lines holds significant sway over various facets of artistic expression, permeating diverse media and surfaces as exemplified in Camilleri's repertoire. Serving as one of the fundamental formal elements in art, the line possesses the inherent capacity to convey communication, mood, and expression, often manifesting through a multitude of mediums and surfaces, as exemplified in Camilleri's oeuvre. The intrinsic importance of the line has endured the test of time, emerging as an indispensable facet within artistic discourse. While this investigation aims to contribute to a nuanced comprehension of the artistic abundance within the local art scene, it concurrently seeks to illuminate Antoine Camilleri's work from a previously unexplored vantage point. This dissertation undertakes a comprehensive investigation into the profound significance of line within the oeuvre of Antoine Camilleri, shedding light on its multifaceted expressions through both formalistic and metaphorical perspectives. Delving into the historical genesis of line and its impact on Camilleri's body of work, this study seeks to elucidate the evolutionary trajectory of his artistic oeuvre. Expanding this inquiry, interviews with notable individuals including Antoine Paul Camilleri, son of the artist, Profesor Paul Sant Cassia from the Anthropology department at the University of Malta, and Dr. Simona Esposito, a respected member of the Association of Professional Graphologists, provide invaluable insights that enrich the discourse surrounding Camilleri's artistic journey. The concept of lines holds profound implications not only for artistic expression but also for broader facets of human experience. A line serves as a vehicle for an artist's individuality, encapsulating their stylistic preferences and cognitive processes. By adopting an interdisciplinary framework that encompasses anthropology, art history, and graphology, this dissertation aims to explore previously unexplored domains within the context of local art history, offering novel insights into the oeuvre of Antoine Camilleri. The central aim of this study is to scrutinise the diverse manifestations of lines in the artistic collection of Antoine Camilleri and to elucidate potential influences from other artists that may have shaped his artistic trajectory. When seeking literature on Camilleri, there exists a substantial collection that articulates his biography and body of works. However, few sources analyse his works from perspectives beyond the conventional. The most comprehensive publication, Antoine Camilleri: A World Within, includes numerous works and essays exploring Camilleri's art from various angles. Despite its scope, this publication does not delve into the fundamental role of line in the artist's works. Consequently, additional literature was sought to discuss and initiate dialogue on the significance of line. This search was challenging, but it was facilitated by examining line as a formal element and recognising its importance across various fields, leading to research in anthropology and graphology. Description: B.A. (Hons)(Melit.)

2024-01-01T00:00:00Z