A conversation with Matthew Attard and Elyse Tonna
Join us for an exclusive event about I WILL FOLLOW THE SHIP: The Maltese Pavilion at Biennale di Venezia 2024 (commissioned by Arts Council Malta), featuring a conversation with solo artist Matthew Attard and co-curator Elyse Tonna. This event offers a unique opportunity to delve into the conceptual framework and creative process behind Malta’s pavilion at the prestigious Biennale di Venezia. The discussion will explore the innovative ways in which the project navigates the intersection of contemporary drawing, digital technology and the historical significance of maritime graffiti.
Program
18.30-19.30 – A conversation with Matthew Attard and Elyse Tonna
19.30-20.30 – Light refreshments
Bios
Matthew Attard (www.matthewattard.com)
Matthew Attard (b. 1987, Malta) explores images as cultural constructs, anchoring his practice within an expanded notion of contemporary drawing. His PhD research at the University of Edinburgh, funded by the Malta Arts Scholarship scheme, delves into the gaze as a form of drawing, encompassing perceptual, physiological, and cultural dimensions. Raised in Malta, he collaborated with the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and the USA Pavilion at the Venice Biennale after moving to Venice in 2009. With a debut in 2014 at Galleria Michela Rizzo, Venice, his work has been showcased globally, earning awards, including the 2018 Under 30 Euromobil Prize at ArteFiera, Bologna among others.
Elyse Tonna (www.elysetonna.com)
Elyse Tonna (b. 1990) is an independent curator and architect with a decade-long commitment to the Maltese cultural and creative sectors. Her curatorial research centers on ecological thinking, the post-/Anthropocene, speculative futures and living heritage. She overlaps these with spatial awareness to facilitate the creation of site/context-specific, immersive and sensorial experiences. Currently, she is the co-Creative Director and Curator of the Gabriel Caruana Foundation, a collaborator with Unfinished Art Space and a co-founder of no.site.studio. Her public art project, fuse, was shortlisted as one of the Top 75 Most Inspiring Projects of the New European Bauhaus. Tonna’s international involvement includes fellowships with the Salzburg Global Forum and the Global Cultural Relations Platform.
About the Commissioner of the Malta Pavilion at the Venice Biennale
The 60th edition of the Venice Biennale marks Arts Council Malta’s fourth participation with its own National Pavilion since 2017. The Malta Pavilion is commissioned by Arts Council Malta, under the auspices of Malta’s Ministry for the National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government. The project is led by the Internationalisation team at Arts Council Malta, headed by Dr. Romina Delia, and supported by Celine Portelli and Dr. Frank Psaila.
More about I WILL FOLLOW THE SHIP (https://maltapavilion2024.com/)
On the occasion of the 60th International La Biennale di Venezia, Arts Council Malta proudly presents Matthew Attard’s latest project for the Malta Pavilion. I WILL FOLLOW THE SHIP is spearheaded by the youngest team to ever represent Malta at La Biennale di Venezia and co-curated by Maltese curator Elyse Tonna and Italian-American curator Sara Dolfi Agostini.
This multi-layered installation reflects Attard’s profound interest in the vernacular etchings of ship graffiti, reinterpreting these ephemeral maritime drawings to explore their contemporary value and legacy. The project delves into humanity’s relationship with artificial intelligence and digital technology, utilising a digital eye-tracking device for drawing. Through an immersive multimedia experience, the installation challenges our perceptions of authorship, digitalization, and the hybridization of humans and machines.
For more information about I WILL FOLLOW THE SHIP follow social media handle @iwillfollowtheship | Instagram and Facebook