(Un)silenced is a project by St Jeanne Antide Foundation and APS Bank and is held in the foyer of APS Bank Centre in Swatar till 4 July 2022.
It is an intimate exploration of the unsaid, the repressed and the unheard. It is a commentary on the lived experiences of those women whose identities have been eroded by narcissistic abuse and whose mental health has been ravaged by the toxic osmosis of being in the presence of a narcissist.
Yet it is also a reflection on the healing power of art and writing, and their role in reclaiming muted voices. It is a celebration of self-determination, of solidarity and, ultimately, of liberation.
Biography of the artists
Carol Busuttil is an artist who paints about the collective experience of women whose spirit is crushed by an abusive partner. She graduated from the School of Art, Valletta, in 2008 with distinction, having presented a thesis on Colouring my Moods. She experiments with different techniques such as life drawing, painting en plein air, etching, print making, clay and marble sculpting.
Her sensitive and introverted character drives her to search for self-expression through painting. Art for her is a continuing process of learning, exploring, creating and expressing her inner self through new artistic ventures. Carol is capable of focusing wholeheartedly on a given task using any material. Her preferred medium is acrylics.
Carol took part in a number of exhibitions: a solo at Corinthia Palace Hotel; a duo with the late artist-sculptor-cartoonist Ġużeppi Theuma; during concerts organised by the Malta Cultural Institute; at Hotel Phoenicia; a few collectives at the Malta Society of Arts in Valletta; Art Club 2000; and at the Ħaż-Żabbar Sanctuary Museum.
Amy Abela is a single mother of two children. Enriched with psychological and physical scars, she has triumphed over domestic violence, which she suffered during her childhood and also during her marriage.
During the recent pandemic, Amy started to explore art as a form of therapy. This adventure led her to the gift of writing, which was chained deep inside her inner self. This newly discovered outlet gave voice to her troubled and silenced soul, now free to blossom in its authenticity. Her writings are inspired by personal trauma, adorned with intense emotions which she has experienced but were kept at bay. Observations rising from deep discernment, as well as her spiritual perception towards life, are mirrored in her poems. Her colourful soul is the pen that guides and drives her to share a vision with a goal to offer compassion, support and hope for a more fruitful society.
Writing offers Amy a safe space where she can explore her individuality whilst feeling whole and complete. She loves to define this talent as the recycling of wounds transformed into art, wherein the beacon of her inner resilience shines.