Martina Darmanin’s debut solo exhibition, Domestic Bloom, is currently on display at il-Kamra ta’ Fuq in Mqabba until August 4. This highly anticipated show delves into the intersection of home and nature, celebrating the vibrancy of floral motifs within our intimate spaces. By transforming the space we inhabit into a tapestry of identity and memory, Darmanin explores how our homes become extensions of ourselves.
Domestic Bloom examines the home as a place filled with traces of transient and ordinary moments. These fleeting daily experiences and mundane routines create a partly subconscious and consciously curated environment. Through the objects within our homes, Darmanin invites viewers to gain a holistic view of one’s identity.
Her exploration began with the discovery of multiple floral objects and motifs in her new studio, leading her to investigate their significance and the memories they carry. The exhibition is a direct exploration of the objects surrounding Darmanin in her studio. She emphasises the power of objects through their associations and our perceptions.
A disheveled floral bed sheet, for example, can evoke past events and prompt speculation about its history. The motif of drapery, recurrent in our lives from birth to death, serves as a powerful symbol in Darmanin’s work. Drapery, whether it’s the bed sheets we wake up in or the blankets we are covered with at the end of our lives, represents the cyclical nature of life and death.
Despite the lively.