Q&A with Teresa Busuttil

Two white soap casts of a bong rest on a green towel with a floral pattern. The artist Teresa Busuttil’s hands touch the base of the soap bong. A pencil rests on the towel on the left.
Two white soap casts of a bong rest on a green towel with a floral pattern. The artist Teresa Busuttil’s hands touch the base of the soap bong. A pencil rests on the towel on the left.
Teresa Busuttil working in her studio, ACE. (2023) Photography by Emmaline Zanelli. Courtesy the artist.

You are currently preparing for a solo exhibition at firstdraft in August, selected as part of a partnership with ACE. Can you share the inspiration that is informing your new work?

Over the summer I was collecting plastic and shells on the coast, so I’ve been quite influenced by that. I often come back to the ocean as a cultural, spiritual and even religious place and use it to ground myself. I think about that a lot, how activities like fishing, swimming and diving can be meditative or even akin to religious experiences.

The work is heavily inspired by my family, mostly my dad. He was a keen fisherman and diver with an unconventional lifestyle which often blurred the lines of morality. I started mixing things I had collected on the beach with symbols of religion, tattoos and drugs. I’ve been thinking about the ways social class affects moral judgement and ways of living. I think a lot about how we can be contradictory, being both foreign and local, moral and criminal, honest and deceitful.

A clock work-in-progress artwork rests on plywood. The clock is made of clay, is framed by 12 pointy shells and features swirl and rose patterns on the face.
A clock work-in-progress artwork rests on plywood. The clock is made of clay, is framed by 12 pointy shells and features swirl and rose patterns on the face.
Teresa Busuttil, (work in progress). Photography by Emmaline Zanelli. Courtesy the artist.

What piece are you most excited to bring to fruition for this exhibition? 

I’m making a confusing devil clock; I’m really excited about that. In Malta there is a tradition of churches having two clocks, one is correct but the other is wrong to confuse the devil from interrupting church service. I really loved that superstition. There is a church every square kilometre in Malta. I read there is 365 churches, one for each day of the year, so it’s a big part of Maltese culture and identity.

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.
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.
Teresa Busuttil’s studio, ACE. Photography by Emmaline Zanelli. Courtesy the artist.

Walking past your studio there are many interesting objects and beautiful trinkets including shells, religious iconography, fishing paraphernalia and a life-size row-boat. What is the relevance of these objects and how do you collect them? 

I’ve always liked collecting little things, my favourite thing as a kid was tiny dolls. This year I’ve let myself lean into that and just collect things that are pretty or just make me happy. I try not to think too much about their relevance or how I will use them and, instead just collect things that I’m drawn to. 

The shells come from different sources, some small ones I’ve collected myself, lots are second hand from op shops and auction houses or gifted from friends. Often I get really into an object and then people start giving it to me, so they kind of collect themselves. I’m really lucky, I've got a solid community of artists around me. We’re all usually collecting something and swapping and sharing. So it’s great. Some things are from my parents' collections, others are from salvage yards or the side of the road. I got a huge haul of candles from the roadside the other day. The boat I found on Facebook Marketplace for $50! 

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.
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.
Teresa Busuttil, (work in progress). Photography by Emmaline Zanelli. Courtesy the artist.
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.
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 Studio, ACE. Photography by Emmaline Zanelli. Courtesy the artist.

What does a day in the studio look in like for you? 

I usually start with good intentions but I’m slow going, so I might treat myself to a trip to BCF or an op shop in the morning to try and find some new things. I find new bits help me get excited to be in the studio. 

I’m trying to get better at having multiple works on the go, so I can have things drying while I’m making something else. At the moment I’m focused on the firstdraft opportiny and I’m making a clay clock and casting objects into soap and plaster. It depends on the day. There’s lots of experiments cooking at the moment. I also love chatting so I’m often having a chat with one of the other artists, ACE staff or visitors. 

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.
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.
Teresa Busuttil working in her studio, ACE. Photography by Emmaline Zanelli. Courtesy the artist.

What are you currently reading, watching, listening to and/or wearing?

I watch loads of TV and movies. I recently finished watching the entirety of The Sopranos for the first time. I think that was a big influence on the work I’m making, that idea of complex morality and the character of Tony Soprano. 

I just watched The Music of Silence (2017) about the life of Andrea Bocelli, I loved that. Another great movie I watched recently was Babysitter (2022). It’s a retro styled Québécois film which takes-down casual misogyny.  

A white soap cast of a bong rests on a green towel with a floral pattern. There is residue of clay marked on the towel and bong.
A white soap cast of a bong rests on a green towel with a floral pattern. There is residue of clay marked on the towel and bong.
Teresa Busuttil, (work in progress). Photography by Emmaline Zanelli. Courtesy the artist.
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.
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, (work in progress). Photography by Emmaline Zanelli. Courtesy the artist.
A white shell with a fanned shape sits on a corner of a table which is covered in butcher's paper. The shell’s inside faces up. A small oval portrait of Virgin Mary framed by small pearls is adhered in the centre of the shell.
A white shell with a fanned shape sits on a corner of a table which is covered in butcher's paper. The shell’s inside faces up. A small oval portrait of Virgin Mary framed by small pearls is adhered in the centre of the shell.
Teresa Busuttil, (work in progress). Photography by Emmaline Zanelli. Courtesy the artist.

Teresa Busuttil's firstdraft exhibition is presented in partnership with Adelaide Contemporary Experimental, 18 August - 1 October 2023.

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.