The Valletta 2018 exhibition ‘Lost in Representation’ by Menekşe Samancı questions the representation of migrants both politically and aesthetically.

Displaying carefully shaped bread vessels and life-vests, as well as attempting to archive texts constructing our multiple understandings of the migrant crisis found in the media, Menekşe Samancı draws us to reflect on a fundamental question of our times: the political conditions of hospitality.

The innocence of the artworks can be misleading. The ephemerality of the artworks, and the performance aspect of the installation, are central to Samancı’s work.

Menekşe Samancı was born in Diyarbakır, Turkey in 1989. She studied painting at Dicle University, MA Art and Design at Yıldız Tecnical University, and holds a Ph.D. degree in painting from Hacettepe University.

Generally she creates baked art work, using traditional materials and ingredients. Her exhibitions or performances are often interactive and her art is edible. She focuses on social, political and cultural topics which can be linked to her own life experiences.

She has participated in various exhibitions and residencies in Estonia, Portugal, Italy, USA, Germany and Lithuania. Since July 2018 Menekşe Samancı is an artist in residence in Malta funded by the Artist Protection Fund and the Valletta 2018 Foundation, European Capital of Culture and hosted by Kopin Malta.

Any other days the exhibition is only accessible with a Fort St Elmo ticket, purchased at the entrance to the Fort, which gives visitors the opportunity to visit both the magical Fort St Elmo, the War Museum and ‘Lost in Representation’.

It is open between the 27th January – 9th February from Monday to Sunday from 9.00 AM to 5.00 PM (following Fort St Elmo’s opening hours).