Mark Xuerebs Ħajja Ħolma at Arthall: Dreams Question Reality

Artist Mark Xuereb explores the concept of reality in his upcoming solo exhibition, Ħajja Ħolma, opening May 2 at Arthall in Victoria. Xuereb questions whether reality is confined to sensory perception or extends beyond, drawing inspiration from vivid dreams that feel as real as waking life. This marks his second solo show and his debut at Arthall.

The Shifting Sands of the Real: Mark Xuereb’s Ħajja Ħolma Challenges Perception

Within the quiet confines of Arthall, a contemporary gallery nestled in Victoria, a new artistic conversation prepares to unfold this Friday, May 2, as Mark Xuereb unveils his latest body of work in an exhibition titled Ħajja Ħolma. This presentation marks a significant moment for the artist, representing his second solo exhibition and his first opportunity to exhibit within the distinctive space that Arthall provides, offering a fresh context for his ongoing artistic journey. The central thread weaving through this collection of pieces grapples with the very fabric of what we perceive as real, posing a fundamental inquiry into whether our understanding of reality is strictly limited by the data gathered through our senses or if its true nature stretches into territories less tangible, perhaps even beyond the grasp of waking consciousness.

Xuereb’s artistic meditation springs directly from the fertile ground of dreams, particularly those nocturnal sojourns that possess an uncanny vividness, moments where the dreamscape feels as solid and immediate as the daylit world we inhabit upon waking. These powerful, sometimes disorienting, experiences serve as the impetus for his exploration, prompting him to consider the porous boundary between the perceived solidity of waking life and the often-surreal, yet deeply felt, experiences of the dream state. Through his chosen mediums, the artist endeavors to translate these internal inquiries and inspirations into visual form, inviting viewers to pause and consider their own definitions of reality, urging them to question the assumptions that anchor their understanding of the world around them.

The title itself, Ħajja Ħolma, which translates from Maltese to “Life Dream,” encapsulates the core tension and fusion that the exhibition seeks to address, suggesting that perhaps life itself possesses qualities akin to a dream, or conversely, that dreams hold a form of reality we seldom acknowledge in our waking hours. This artistic undertaking arrives at a time when discussions surrounding perception, consciousness, and the nature of existence continue to intrigue philosophers, scientists, and artists alike, underscoring art’s enduring capacity to serve as a vital lens through which we can examine the most profound questions about our place in the universe and the subjective nature of our experiences. Xuereb’s work, situated within this broader dialogue, offers a personal yet universally resonant perspective, reminding us that the boundaries we draw between different states of being might be far more fluid than we commonly believe, and that the echoes of our dreams might carry truths that our waking minds are only beginning to comprehend. The exhibition thus becomes a space for introspection, a quiet challenge to the viewer to look beyond the obvious and consider the deeper currents that shape our sense of what is real.