PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST

ANN PROCHILO

Born into a large family in Long Island, New York, I am the chronological middle-child of six. My vision and voice are shaped by a boisterous hierarchy of my birth order and gender, musical theater and public service.

I am drawn to the discomfort and tension that precede transition and emergence — that moment before surrendering to sleep, or surfacing from deep waters. I focus on holding space for conflict and collaboration in service to creation and change. As a visual artist, I see my role as that of midwife and mediator, exploring the 'in-between' places and the forces that shape them. Family, memory, loss, identity and reconciliation are themes I use to explore dissonance as a tool for transformation.

I believe in the power of inviting questions and critical thinking. Living in an increasingly divided world, I want to make photographs that spark a universal experience of both the everyday and the momentous — images that ignite reflection of what is known, what is unknown and the fertile ground in between.

My This Is Water series explores self-awareness and its nemeses: blind certitude and unconsciousness.

It is inspired by a story shared by David Foster Wallace in a commencement speech: “There are these two young fish swimming along and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says, ‘Morning, boys. How’s the water?’ And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes, ‘What is water?’”

I love this parable and its reminder that essential things are all around us, hidden in plain sight. This project examines what is above and below the surface, shifting mediums and bending light. It seeks to illuminate the malleable foundations upon which we make meaning and take actions that impact ourselves, others, and the environment around us.

I use water to depict moments that precede transformation — those potent and vulnerable moments before something emerges - or does not. Water reveals and water hides. It points to ways in which we are ego-deluded and dissociated from ourselves — drawn, as to a siren’s call, to an anesthetized oblivion.

While it is possible to correct for optical distortions caused by light passing through water, in my photography, I choose not to. I embrace refraction, diffusion, and reflection in service to illusion, to the extent that dissonance is an uncomfortable, but necessary starting place for self-awareness. It is my thesis (and fervent prayer) that grappling with ambiguities is a powerful tool for awakening.

Just as the struggle for transformation defines my quest, it defines each person’s journey between unconsciousness and self-awareness. I believe our task as human beings is to awaken to ourselves and the waters in which we swim so that we may choose our right action in the world. For me, that means not foundering in a sea of willful ignorance or being rendered mute by those who would drown my voice. A nd like our two young fish, it means swimming along, constantly reminding myself that “this… is water.”

WORDS IL-BIZZILLA

WE’VE SELECTED SOME BOOKS FROM OUR FAVOURITE LOCAL AUTHORS; TAKE SOME TIME OUT AND ESCAPE WITH SOME NEW CHARACTERS. THESE ARE AVAILABLE IN LOCAL OR ONLINE STORES.

Strangers I’ll Never Forget - MJ Camilleri

Even the most ordinary life can be stirred by encounters with extraordinary people. Strangers I'll Never

Forget is a fascinating portrayal of some of the remarkable events, mishaps and adventures experienced during three decades of the author's journey through life. This kaleidoscope of anecdotes captures memories in short, enjoyable stories from the sunny island of Malta, and beyond.

Having Said Goodnight is the English edition of the winner of the European Union Prize for Literature. Written by Pierre J Mejlak, and translated by Clare Vassallo and Antoine Cassar. In this captivating collection of stories, people are often at a crossroads, somewhere between a world they know and one they feel pulled towards. Torn between past and fut ure, centre and periphery, real and imaginary, they move from one point in their existence to another, trying to understand a life they have lived but perhaps never fully comprehended.

A sensational international bestseller, for the first time in print in a luxurious hardback edition, this book is an illustrated guide to the mythical flora, fauna, monsters and fantastic creatures of the Maltese islands. Supernatural entities, frightening creatures, magical plants, ancient gods and a host of other legendary beings — almost lost from Maltese culture in the buzz of modern lifestyles — are brought back from the brink of extinction in this compendium of mythical life forms. Illustrated with realistic depictions and concise descriptions gathered from age-old sources, The Maltese Bestiary serves as a field guide to the almost lost yet living world that is hidden beneath Malta's sunny exterior.

Trevor Żahra, Malta’s most beloved author, returns with a collection of stories in which reality blends with dreams, smiles merge with pain, normality is intertwined with the bizarre, and the past walks hand in hand with the present. Read as his characters chant their evening prayers together, their Vespers, before the night blows out the weak flame of the sun and darkness descends.

Books are so foundational to our civilisation. They have formed all our ideas about life and about ourselves. They are our moral and legal code and literature, in all its forms, and they continue to shape us and to help us articulate our preoccupations and make sense of life. Bookbinding workshops attract people who are curious about getting a glimpse into craftsmanship behind making books, some are looking for a challenge while others are looking to acquire new skills to apply to their projects. Through these workshops one generally masters a couple of techniques which can later be applied creatively to different book structures. The basics of folding and sewing already offer a wide range of possibilities and you can mix materials too. You can make anything from a little single section notebook to more elaborate book structures like albums or pop-up books, menus and display photobooks.

Find out how to book a course here: www.kotbacalleja.net www.studiosolipsis.com

WORDS MARIA MUSCAT