Valletta 2018’s major multi-site exhibition, “Dal-Baħar Madwarha”, opened its doors to curious visitors across the Islands in March. Curated by Maren Richter, large installations, performances and public interventions are taking place in both traditional and unexpected locations across Malta, exploring the idea of “islandness” in playful and critical ways.

Heba Y Amin forms part of the group exhibition held in the St Elmo Examination Centre in Valletta, which will be closing its doors on the 27th of May. Heba Y Amin will be delivering a performance on the 25th May 2018 between 7:30PM and 10:00PM.

اللي زَعْلان يِشْرَب البَحَر | Let he who is angry drink the sea
(Arabic Proverb)

What if we created a Supercontinent? With the performance for her project Operation Sunken Sea – on view in the St Elmo Examination Center – Egyptian artist Heba Y. Amin adds another layer to her speculative proposal to drain the Mediterranean Sea.

“New Political Constructs of Relocating the Mediterranean Sea” is the operation’s inaugural speech given by its representative, who announces the project’s vision for transplanting the Mediterranean Sea into the African continent. Expanding upon early twentieth century techno-utopian visions, the speech will outline the symbolic and material abundance to be acquired from the significant transformation of territorial constructs. It responds to the contemporary moment of political uncertainty in Europe, the unrest and collapse of nation-states in the Middle East, the neo-liberal failure of globalization in Africa by shifting the paradigm in a time of neo-fascist necropolitics. The operation instigates enterprise, invention and ingenuity with a new vision for Africa and the Middle East. It pinpoints what could be attained by and for those most affected in the last century by the wars waged for oil, resources and power.

This performance is in collaboration with the University of Malta, the Mediterranean Institute.

Drinks will be served.