The theme at the heart of ceramic artist Paul Scerri’s ongoing exhibition at Spazju Kreattiv is one of individual and collective appeal, embodied through works of art that need to be seen in order to be felt.
His figures, crafted from clay, are quiet and calm – as a body would be while it’s resting. And yet, flexed limbs, crouched positions and displays of physical discomfort tap into a subconscious realm – in this case, the sound of dreaming.
Paul is no stranger to Malta’s art scene – he has been working with ceramics for over 40 years, pushing the limits of his craft with each new body of work which began with the figurative, before experimenting with abstract concepts, and ultimately returning back to the figurative with his latest exhibition, The Sound of you Dreaming.
Design Dispatch caught up with the artist, who spent three years preparing for what could be described as a career-defining display.
“This project was very challenging in itself, the first year was purely research related to the theme while simultaneously conducting technical research on new glazes and surface textures. The following two years were spent creating and finishing each sculpture. I believe that every creative person tries to challenge themselves and overcome their previous work.”
Dealing with a complex, personal and intangible subject like dreaming seems like a challenging place to start from. However, it is a subject that he got absorbed into, fascinated by the way dreams creep up on everyone, practically every day, playing out in our mind in a way that we have no control over.
“My work is pretty narrative and sometimes surreal just like all our dreams. The difference is that we create what we imagine while dreams are literally imposed on us without our direct control – these are just our own, silent and remain very personal,” says Paul.
The exhibition features 23 art pieces – Paul says two figures were accidentally broken and one large one remained unfinished – including a bed installation that leaves the door wide open on its potential meaning.
Small rounded stones rest on a cracked surface beneath a flimsy bed frame – do they represent dreams that have slipped through the cracks of our subconscious mind? Symbols of dreams that haunt us like memories?
The installation tells a story, though surreal, that has personal resonance to the artist. It is also capable of resonating with anyone who views it – an embodiment, perhaps, of the individual and collective nature of dreams.
Adding to the intrigue are details in the form of bits of text, objects or contrasting colours on some of Paul’s figures. “The texts are extracts from family journals that go back to the 1820s. This was my interpretation of intergenerational traumas and/or epigenetics,” says Paul. “The objects are there to tell a story of a dream or encounter.”
In his concise way, the ceramicist refrains from addressing specific challenges encountered during the making of his art pieces, saying in order “to move forward, one always has to try and research new perimeters and challenges.”
And he has done exactly that – not just conceptually, but also with his medium. Throughout his career, clay has remained a constant, giving Paul a heightened understanding of it.
“There are different stages in the process of working with ceramics. The initial stage is very therapeutic, modelling with a fresh mud-like material. Later, it is fired and in my case, sometimes fired even five times just to obtain the desired result,” says Paul.
“These changes are like alchemy. Moreover, the work is three dimensional, where the viewer can go around the work and can also interact with the shadows.”
With weeks to go until The Sound of you dreaming wraps up on 9th March, Paul is looking towards two prospective overseas shows throughout the year. Beyond that, the question ‘what’s next?’ is met with some trepidation. “To be honest, this is the worst part of the whole process – what’s next…”
Photography: Brian Grech
