Darkness at Noon
An exhibition by Charles Balzan, Gabriel Buttigieg & Paul Scerri
The Splendid, 6 February - 24 February 2021
Darkness at the moment of noon recurs as a metaphor throughout history and literature as a symbol for the uncanny moment of fear. Engaging with this concept each artist developed a series of works which explore the primordial roots of our humanity through the lens of the uncanny. Reminding us of our hidden architecture - rooted in nature, history and the architecture of survival - their work challenges our perception of what it means to be civilised. In the uncanny eclipse of Darkness at Noon the relationships we cherish and the certainties which we hold to be true are designated as symbols of the subterranean forces that shape the unfolding of our lives
Paul Scerri, detail from The Agony of the Model (2020) glazed ceramic and metal
Darkness at Noon brings together the work of three Maltese artists: ceramist Paul Scerri, photographer Charles Balzan and painter Gabriel Buttigieg.
Darkness at the moment of noon recurs as a metaphor throughout history and literature. It is both a literal and figurative symbol for the uncanny moment of fear. Engaging with this concept each artist has created a series of works for this project.
As a tool for understanding human thought and feeling, the structure of the uncanny is a psychological mechanism which opens a point of access into a deep analysis of formative human impulses. Coming at the tail-end of the COVID-19 pandemic the works in Darkness at Noon seek to examine the primordial architecture of human consciousness by utilising the uncanny as a tool for getting into the unconscious depths which make us who we are.
Reminding us of our hidden architecture - rooted in nature, history and the architecture of survival - the work of these three artists challenges our perception of what it means to be civilised. In the uncanny eclipse of Scerri’s, Buttigieg’s and Balzan’s work the relationships we cherish and the certainties which we hold to be true are designated as symbols of the subterranean forces that shape the unfolding of our lives.
Understanding the compulsions that shape us as 21st century human creatures leads to a fuller expression of our humanity, a widened sense of empathy and conscientiousness which breaks down the walls of otherness. At its most basic, Darkness at Noon aims to underscore the common structures which unite us in a natural way by breaking down the artificially perceived barriers of essential separation, be they COVID induced or ingrained into the workings of our brains, our concepts and our society.
Darkness at Noon, full catalogue
Curation and text Gabriel Zammit and Joe Philippe Abela; Catalogue essays Clive Zammit and Giulia Privitelli; Project management Gabriel Zammit and Joe Philippe Abela; Graphic design Siobhan Vassallo; Special thanks Benjie Zammit, Caroline Curmi, Jason Masini, Maria Zammit, Michael Zammit, Sue Ferrito, Nikki Young, Francesca Vella, Jonathan Polidano, Lara Zammit, Clemens Schulenburg, Kristina Polidano
Funded by Arts Council Malta Project Support Grant
Supported by Studio 7, The Splendid, ILab Photo
Press and content Gabriel Buttigieg feature; Charles Balzan feature; Paul Scerri feature; Gabriel Zammit and Joe Philippe Abela feature; Maltarti feature; Darkness at Noon: A collective exhibition; Darkness at Noon, THINK article; Darkness at Noon Design; Interview with Ramona Depares; Bizilla Article; Exhibition review: Darkness at Noon; 5 Current Exhibitions You Need to Visit Right Now; Upcoming Exhibition Darkness at Noon, three artists explore primordial roots of humanity; Uncannily Out of Darkness; Three Maltese Artists Explore The Uncanny Grips Of Consciousness In This Multi-Media Exhibition; Darkness at Noon, The Malta Independent; Darkness at Noon exhibition explores primordial roots of our humanity