I saw a Light
(2015)
Public Art Commission for Pjazza Teatru Rjal, Valletta, Malta, curated by Norbert Attard
72cm x 72cm x 285cm each
Timber, steel, Perspex, mirror, neon, paint
Public Art Commission for Pjazza Teatru Rjal, Valletta, Malta, curated by Norbert Attard
72cm x 72cm x 285cm each
Timber, steel, Perspex, mirror, neon, paint
I Saw a Light is the temporary reactivation of four lamps that originally decorated the entrance of the old Opera House in Vallettta.
Electricity - The reconstruction commemorates the introduction of electric lighting for the very first time in Malta at this very Opera House. It celebrates the long-forgotten marvel it brought along.
Nostalgia - The four lamps are contemporary replicas and a playful reflection on our growing thirst for nostalgia-provoking elements and historicisms in general.
The blurring boundary between culture and entertainment - Did the invention of electricity facilitate this continuous blurring? How much have places like this Opera house been contributing to the age of entertainment? And within this context, what is exactly the role of public art commissions?
