together four international artists, Anže Gallus
Petelin, Heiko Jörges, Tomas Hed
and Johannes Gustafsson—for a
multidisciplinary exploration of
consciousness, complacency and
the struggle to remain awake to
life’s deeper realities.
Running from 14 February to
8 March 2026, Cockadoodledoo
takes its conceptual cue from
Friedrich Nietzsche’s Thus Spoke
Zarathustra, specifically the metaphor of the cock’s crow as a call
to awakening. While the sound
of the rooster remains a familiar
presence at dawn in Gozo, the
exhibition uses it as a symbolic
device rather than a celebration of
rural life, posing questions about
modern anaesthesia, cognitive
passivity and the gradual disappearance of “abysmal thoughts”
in an era of scrolling, swiping and
distraction.
The exhibition examines whether contemporary life allows space
for depth, complexity and discomfort, or whether society is
drifting toward a “zombie” mode
of existence, numbed by convenience and painless experiences.
Through painting, sculpture and
mixed media, the artists present
different forms of “cock-crowing,”acts that challenge viewers to
confront pain, joy, suffering and
vitality as inseparable elements of
being alive.
Slovenian painter Anže Gallus
Petelin, internationally recognised
for his distinctive rooster paintings, contributes works that merge
raw materials with symbolic uses
of light, creating a visual language
aimed at transcending time and
space. Swedish-born Tomas Hed,
now based in Gozo, brings a provocative and polemical approach
shaped by years as an art director
in Stockholm, challenging social
“bubbles” and entrenched values.
Heiko Jörges, a German-born
sculptor who previously lived
and worked in Berlin, presents
mixed-media sculptures informed
by everyday impressions and
street life, drawing on his diverse
background in law, music, film
and photography. Completing the
quartet is Johannes Gustafsson,
originally from Sweden and now
based in Switzerland, whose minimalistic works featuring small figures translate relatable emotions
into deceptively simple forms that
invite closer inspection.
Cockadoodledoo will be held at
ArtHall, 8 Triq Agius de Soldanis,
Victoria, Gozo. Opening hours
are Wednesday to Saturday from
10am to 1pm and 5pm to 7pm,
and Sunday from 10am to 12pm.
The venue is closed on Mondays
and Tuesdays. Further information is available at arthallgozo.
com or via email at arthallgozo@
gmail.com. Updates can also be
found on Facebook and Instagram
at @arthallgozo