Rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and resource scarcity are now a reality for large numbers of people around the world, many of whom have no choice but to leave their homes in search of safety. Migration Nation is a direct reaction to this reality, and an attempt to attach a humanity and emotion to events which seem so vast and incalculable as to be beyond our understanding. Barn Swallows (Huttafa) and other birds take the place of peoples in transit, as their journeys unfold, in a narrative which runs through the exhibition. Through large-scale acrylic paintings and intricate etchings, Iella offers a moving portrayal of the human experience of displacement; her imagery evokes a deep empathy for the displaced, highlighting the shared struggles of humanity across borders.

Alongside Iella’s work, invited artist Christian de Souza Jensen (aka SeaPuppy) shows a new animated work, echoing its call for climate justice and a humane treatment of migrants. Towards the end of the exhibition path, the installation created in a collaboration with the Malta Community of Illustrators, is reflective of a collaborative instinct in which the physical act of building a structure from many contributions can also be seen as a call for solidarity and empathy with those less fortunate than ourselves. The public is invited to interact and contribute to this piece.

The works in this exhibition were created in London where the artist lives and in Sydney during an extended residency in 2023, but a link with Malta is retained through references to the luzzu, to Mediterranean shorelines, and to birds which stop on our islands during their long migration. The story told is universal, and the problems posed are existential; not only for the human race, but for life on this planet as we know it.