Dates March 2020 (Cancelled)
Artistic Director: Professor Guseppe Schembri Bonaci
Curator: Dr. Nikki Petroni

The APS Mdina Cathedral Contemporary Art Biennale – Regaining a Paradise Lost

Artist Statement

'Forgive Us, For We Have Misunderstood'

Forgive Us, For We Have Misunderstood is a hybrid artwork that comments on the fractured and ill-fated relationship between humanity and nature. Contemporary humans often view themselves as deities at the pinnacle of creation. As a result, they exploit the natural environment as though it were their right and privilege, showing little regard for the great narrative that tells of their banishment from eternal paradise.

According to this narrative, humans were created to live in grace forever. Yet, by choosing to eat from the Tree of Knowledge, driven by arrogance and the desire to become gods, they were cast out of Eden and into a world marked by sorrow and desolation. This story serves as a metaphor for the suffering that humans continue to inflict upon themselves and the world around them, both urban and natural.

One of the gravest sins of contemporary humanity, despite possessing the knowledge of good and evil, is the persistent denial of responsibility for the environmental disasters it has caused. While some efforts have been made in recent decades to address the crisis, they remain meagre compared to the scale of the damage already done.

Through its ‘cut-out’ aesthetic, the artwork depicts a contemporary figure reclining on a couch in a posture of nonchalance. He flaunts his so-called wisdom by resting his arm on a stack of books and sipping wine, the fruits of his labour. Yet, visible through his (absent) body and the surrounding environment are the consequences of his arrogance: scenes of destruction, sorrow, and the paradise lost.

The background of the piece consists of a projection that can be manipulated by the viewers, making them active participants in shaping the narrative. Will they choose idyllic landscapes symbolising the paradise that was intended? Or will they select images of devastation and ruin to surround the modern man, images that reflect the reality we have created?