A new solo exhibition by Maltese artist Jade Zammit is set to open at Marie Gallery 5 in Tigné, Sliema, bringing together a body of work shaped by travel, memory and the complexities of cultural identity.

Titled Borrowed Territories, the exhibition runs from 24th April to 10th June and reflects on landscapes encountered across Australia, India, Cuba and Costa Rica. Though geographically distant, these locations reveal unexpected parallels, where traces of European influence intersect with distinct local identities, forming what the artist describes as a shared yet fragmented terrain.

At its core, the exhibition examines how ideas of land and belonging have been constructed and contested over time. Ms Zammit draws on literary and historical references to explore the imposition of European concepts of ownership onto lands already shaped by Indigenous knowledge systems, raising questions about displacement and the meaning of belonging.

At the same time, the works approach colonisation not only as an act of control, but also one of longing. Attempts to recreate familiar environments in foreign territories often faltered, as landscapes resisted imposed identities.

This tension underpins the notion of “borrowed territories”, where cultural elements may travel, but the land itself retains its autonomy.

Working primarily through drawing and mixed media, Ms Zammit creates layered compositions that blur geographical boundaries. Natural landscapes merge with subtle references to their colonial pasts, making it difficult to assign a single origin to each scene. Instead, they emerge as shifting environments shaped by movement, exchange and memory.

The exhibition also engages with the concept of Anthropophagy, where identity is understood not as something fixed, but as something continuously reshaped through the absorption and transformation of external influences.

Ms Zammit, who holds a degree in Architecture from the University of Malta, has developed a practice grounded in observation and intimacy. While her earlier works were characterised by minimal, economical lines, her recent pieces move towards heavier compositions, introducing bolder colours and textures.

Borrowed Territories ultimately positions landscape as a site of encounter and negotiation, inviting viewers to reflect on how histories are embedded within the environments we inhabit.

Produced by Marie Gallery 5, the exhibition marks another step in the artist’s evolving practice, offering a nuanced exploration of how identity, place and history continue to intersect across borders.