The Gravity of the situation
The word ‘gravity’ can be described as a homonym − it has more than one meaning. Curator Sara Dolfi Agostini talks to Joseph Agius about the concepts underlying the Gravity exhibition, currently on at Blitz Valletta, and how the seven artists interpret it. Gravity, ‘discovered’ by Sir Isaac Newton, is defined as “the universal force of attraction acting between all matter” and scientifically it is the weakest of the four forces governing nature. The term gravity has also sombre metaphorical relevance, as indicated in the exhibition’s mission statement. How does an exhibition titled ‘Gravity’ bring these two aspects together? Gravity is an invisible force that we take for granted, but there is no life without gravity. It is a property of our bodies, regardless of our ethnicity, gender and cultural background. However, in the English language, gravity also evokes a serious, solemn matter that requires special attention. The work of most contemporary artists is as much about definitions as it is about representations, as you can totally see when reading the titles of the artworks in the show. This is the thought process that made Gravity the title of a group show whose central...