This week I was in Prague, Czech Republic, representing Malta as the selected artist to create a collaborative artwork for the project of the Wall of Freedom and Energy on the Lennon Wall in the Malá Strana. This event was organised to celebrate the Presidency of the Czech Republic of the European Council, curated by local artist and curator Pavel Šťastný. A total of 27 artists from 27 European countries, along with two specially invited artists from Norway and Ukraine, visited Prague to add their own unique motif to the wall on the 7th of September 2022. The event was partly hosted and supported by the Mozart Hotel, Prague.
After this event, the wall was photographed in detail and will now be re-created as an inflatable object to tour Europe during the Czech Republic's EU presidency as part of a cultural project called Wall of Freedom and Energy, with each artist from the country where the wall will tour being invited to present their work at the selected city, the tour will end in Paris, France. The ride for FREEDOM & ENERGY will follow the route Prague-Strasbourg-Paris-Brussels-Prague from 3 - 9 October 2022, and the inflatable Lennon Wall, our symbol of freedom will be shown at each of these towns.
The work I proposed and created on site took inspiration from the oldest tree in Prague, with a figure seated below it, that becomes part of the tree roots itself. The tree for me is a symbol of growth, permanence and link to our European heritage. The tree symbol represents the hope of a return to the respect of and for nature. The figure below the tree symbolizes a thinker who's lost track of time and is daydreaming. These dreams are to be shown through the symbols of peace from different cultures to represent the multiculturalism of Europe. Highlighting the diversity we are surrounded by and which makes our cities so vibrant, it's a symbol of hope towards what we can all strive for.
Having peace; freedom of person and mind is achieved, hence the dove which unites both. Along with these symbols, the Cross of the Knights of Malta, was partially drawn, linking the Knights of St John, as the owners of the wall and their historical legacy with Malta. To complete the artwork I decided to use a blue vortex, that represents the sea we are surrounded by, as a background element, as I wanted to imbue the work with energy, since it's one of the main themes of this project.
The work started in earnest with an energetic spiral painted on site!
Being shown the Lennon Wall for the first time.
The sketches and Wall plan prepared prior to the event, ensuring an interlinked artwork between all the artists from the 27 different EU Nations, as well as Norway and Ukraine.
Speaking with Pavel Šťastný on the evening before the work started on the Lennon Wall.
In my element, mixing up colours for the work on the Lennon Wall of Freedom and Energy, with my own personal mix of Peace!