Mati Jhurry on Her Video 'Like Pools on a Tropical Island' and Mauritius Art Scene

Mati Jhurry, born in 1993 in Italy but raised in Mauritius, discusses her latest video work 'Like Pools on a Tropical Island' in an interview with Artribune. The video juxtaposes images of deserted pools on Mauritius with voiceovers from local artists reflecting on island life, without explicitly naming Mauritius. Jhurry uses the pool as a symbol of the island's aspiration toward a luxury image, contrasting with the stagnant art scene. She notes that Mauritius participated in the Venice Biennale for the first time the previous year, and while art centers and festivals are emerging, the waters remain 'rather stagnant.' Jhurry, who recently completed a residency with Isabella Benshimol at /77 in Milan, adopts a documentary approach in this work, collecting interviews and editing audio to create a collective stream of consciousness. She explores her dual identity as an artist of Mauritian origin, feeling both connection and detachment from the island's art system, which operates independently from the outside world.