Teresa Busutill (2023)

Teresa Busuttil’s multi-disciplinary practice investigates personal and familial history, the Maltese diaspora, archives and shared pools of memory.

Busuttil was selected to participate in the 2023 Studio Program in partnership with the Helpmann Academy.

‘When I first started working as an artist, a lot of that was through covid and during lockdowns. So, I was doing a lot of video making at home. In the last year I’ve really been more interested in making sculptural work. Mostly because I’ve had the space at ACE to collect objects, and that’s given me more confidence to show objects rather than showing them through a screen.' Teresa Busuttil, 2023.

In 2022, Busuttil received a Bachelor of Contemporary Art from the University of South Australia and was the recipient of fine print's pause~play commission. Recent exhibitions and presentations include Stuffat tal-Bebbux, FELTspace, Adelaide, 2022; and The One Minutes, 17th Kinemastik International Short Film Festival, Malta, 2022.

Teresa Busuttil
  • Teresa Busuttil's 'Sinner's Grotto' salvaged boat on opening night. A person looks inside.
  • Studios: 2023 opening night. People gather around Teresa Busuttil's work.
  • Teresa Busuttil's work up close. Detail, salvaged boat, shells, glue
  • A large white and smooth shell sits on a surface with paint splatters on it. Several coloured temporary tattoos and two rhinestones are on the outside of the shell. A fishing hook is adhered to the end of the shell.
  • Teresa Busuttil works on the floor of her studio. You can only see her hands which are stirring melted wax in a small and red candle melting pot. A scrunched piece of paper towel sits in front of the pot. In the bottom right corner you can see the bottom of her work-in-progress, a candle cast bong.
  • Two large shells rest next to each other on a yellow patterned towel. The insides of the shells face upwards and are tattooed with 3 temporary tattoos; two are roses and one a butterfly.
  • The wall of Teresa Busuttil’s Studio. Several colourful posters hang on the wall, as well as a netted crochet bag, a dried rose, a purple fishing lure, and bunting made of shells and beads. A book titled ‘Fun with shells’ rests against the wall on a table. A large conical shell, a thread spool and a filled pencil pot sit on the table.
  • Inside Teresa Busuttil’s Studio there is a sink and a window sill. Used candle pillars fill the right sink trough and the window sill. A large ornate religious crucifix rests against the brick wall under the window sill.
Teresa Busuttil's 'Sinner's Grotto' salvaged boat on opening night. A person looks inside.
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Opening Night: Studios:2023 (2023), event documentation, Adelaide Contemporary Experimental. Photography by Lana Adams.⁠

ACE tampinthi, ngadlu Kaurna yartangka panpapanpalyarninthi (inparrinthi). Kaurna miyurna yaitya mathanya Wama Tarntanyaku. Parnaku yailtya, parnaku tapa purruna, parnaku yarta ngadlu tampnthi. Yalaka Kaurna miyurna itu yailtya, tapa purruna, yarta kuma puru martinthi, puru warri-apinthi, puru tangka martulayinthi.

ACE respectfully acknowledges the traditional Country of the Kaurna people of the Adelaide Plains and pays respect to Elders past and present. We recognise and respect their cultural heritage, beliefs and relationship with the land. We acknowledge that they are of continuing importance to the Kaurna people living today.

ACE tampinthi, ngadlu Kaurna yartangka panpapanpalyarninthi (inparrinthi). Kaurna miyurna yaitya mathanya Wama Tarntanyaku. Parnaku yailtya, parnaku tapa purruna, parnaku yarta ngadlu tampnthi. Yalaka Kaurna miyurna itu yailtya, tapa purruna, yarta kuma puru martinthi, puru warri-apinthi, puru tangka martulayinthi.

ACE respectfully acknowledges the traditional Country of the Kaurna people of the Adelaide Plains and pays respect to Elders past and present. We recognise and respect their cultural heritage, beliefs and relationship with the land. We acknowledge that they are of continuing importance to the Kaurna people living today.