Moving image. Changing landscape

Abstract

The current article considers how the moving image intersects with the changing landscape and investigates how that crossing might raise questions about our relationship with place and space. Central to the discussion is Olea, a visual, auditory, and olfactory installation exhibited at the Malta Biennale 2024. The work features a 'mythical' figure situated within an indeterminate temporal realm that spans across historical epochs. The speculative narrative brings up a multiplicity of contexts whereby Olea may (re-)connect with the past by engaging with ancient ruins and artefacts in various conjectural settings, imbricating her personal and familial memories with collective ones. Drawing on phenomenological experience, the installation immerses the viewer in an intimate, multi-sensory space, enriched with layered visual and sonic elements. The condensed environment is intended to elicit a sense of urgency, provoking action in response to the rapidly changing landscape. The piece navigates between temporal dimensions, bridging past and present, through digital media. An implicit poetic-political interweaving serves as a central axis, fostering diverse interpretative pathways and inviting viewers to reimagine alternate scenarios through their own unique perspectives.