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Do you ever think about the meaning of life?
Well, I can give meaning to your life.
I am an ancient being, that ancient being that has always shaped the island’s story.
I know everything and I saw everything.
I will always know everything and I will always see everything.
I’m so wide that the meaning escapes you, but if you’re patient and try to listen carefully you can find that meaning again.
Imkejjen u Rkejjen* is a result of the long-term project No Man’s Land (2018) by artist Kristina Borg.
No Man’s Land deals with the politics of land and sea in Malta’s Grand Harbour and Marsamxett Harbour areas. Thirteen localities – Kalkara to Valletta, Valletta to Sliema – each demarcated by its set of borders, surround this coastal area. Taking Malta as a seamless island, where notions of periphery are quite alien, the artist researched how the invisible borders are rendered visible while also exploring the spaces-in-between and their immediate environs.
The project found inspiration in a series of conversations with the mayors and the locals inhabiting the thirteen localities, and culminated in a performance piece at sea taking the format of a boat trip featuring a narrative – written by the artist herself – specific to each harbour.
Imkejjen u Rkejjen is the publication of the narrative. The book is split into two journey narratives around the Grand Harbour and Marsamxett Harbour and is illustrated with imagery from handmade photolitho prints by the artist, inspired by the spaces-in-between encountered along each journey. It is a flexible journey that offers a number of pick up points and drop off points. You are free to choose your own stopping points, though the invitation to undergo the full trip around the harbours will always remain warmly open to all.
*’Imkejjen’ is the plural form of ‘mkien’ meaning ‘place’, but denoting also a sense of spatial and territorial abstraction of ‘somewhere, nowhere’. It is derived from the word ‘kien’ meaning ‘to be’ or ‘to come into existence’. ‘Rkejjen’ is the plural form of ‘rokna’ meaning ‘corner’, and in the context of this project it also refers to the ‘spaces-in-between’. Hence, the Maltese title Imkejjen u Rkejjen can be considered as an interpretation and a twist on ‘nooks and crannies’.
Qatt taħsbu fuq it-tifsira tal-ħajja?
Ara, jiena nista’ nagħti tifsira lil ħajjitkom.
Jiena ħlejqa antika, dik il-ħlejqa antika li dejjem sawret l-istorja ta’ din il-gżira.
Jiena naf kollox u rajt kollox.
Jiena dejjem se nkun naf kollox u dejjem se nara kollox.
Jiena tant jien wiesa’ li t-tifsira taħarbilkom, imma jekk tkunu paċenzjużi u tippruvaw tisimgħu sew tistgħu terġgħu ssibu dik it-tifsira.
Imkejjen u Rkejjen huwa l-frott tal-proġett No Man’s Land (2018) tal-artista Kristina Borg.
No Man’s Land, proġett li ħa fit-tul, jitratta l-politika tal-art u tal-baħar fiż-żoni tal-Port il-Kbir u tal-Port ta’ Marsamxett. Tlettax-il lokalità jdawru dawn l-ilmijiet kostali – bejn il-Kalkara u l-Belt Valletta, u bejn il-Belt Valletta u Tas-Sliema – waqt li kull lokalità tiddemarka l-fruntieri tagħha. Il-punt tal-tluq kien ta’ Malta bħala blata waħda, bil-periferiji meqjusa aljeni. Minn hemmhekk l-artista rriċerkat kif dawn il-fruntieri inviżibbli jsiru viżibbli waqt li fl-istess ħin esplorat l-ispjazji ta’ bejniethom u l-inħawi li jmissu magħhom.
Il-proġett sab l-ispirazzjoni tiegħu minn diversi konversazzjonijiet li saru, kemm mas-sindki u kemm man-nies tal-inħawi tat-tlettax-il lokalità, u laħaq il-qofol tiegħu fi vjaġġ performattiv b’dgħajsa fuq il-baħar li kien jinkludi wkoll narrattiva – miktuba mill-artista stess – speċifika għaż-żewġ żoni tal-port.
Il-ktieb Imkejjen u Rkejjen jippreżenta l-pubblikazzjoni ta’ din in-narrattiva. Imqassam f’żewġ vjaġġi narrattivi madwar il-Port il-Kbir u l-Port ta’ Marsamxett, il-ktieb huwa illustrat b’viżwali minn photolitho prints magħmulin bl-idejn mill-artista, imnebbħa mill-imkejjen u rkejjen u l-ispazji ta’ bejniethom li niltaqgħu magħhom tul il-vjaġġi. Il-vjaġġ huwa wieħed flessibbli u joffri numru ta’ punti fejn wieħed jista’ jitla’ jew jinżel. Fejn titla’ u tinżel hija biċċa tiegħek, imma l-istedina li tagħmel il-vjaġġ sħiħ bejn iż-żewġ portijiet tibqa’ dejjem miftuħa għal kulħadd bil-qalb kollha.