WATCH | Abortion: Solo-exhibition revisits the Jane Collective through Maltese imagery

In the EU’s most restrictive country on abortion, an exhibition revisiting an underground abortion network from the US invites viewers to reflect on the present.

Thanks To Jane, a photographic solo-exhibition by artist Charlotte Adams, currently showcasing at Spazju Kreattiv, draws parallels between the story of the Jane Collective and ongoing debates around reproductive rights in Malta.

“I was heavily inspired by the Jane Collective, and the women coming together to support each other when the law did not allow for it,” Adams said.

The Jane Collective was founded by women’s liberation activists in Chicago in 1969, aiming to reduce the number of unsafe and expensive abortions carried out by unqualified providers. Operating as an underground network, the group offered counselling and performed more than 11,000 safe but illegal abortions before disbanding in 1973, after the US Supreme Court recognised abortion as a constitutional right in Roe vs Wade.

That right was overturned in 2022 following the Dobbs vs Jackson Women's Health Organisation decision, prompting several US states to introduce near-total abortion bans.

Adams believes the story resonates strongly in Malta, where reproductive rights remain among the strictest in Europe. Although limited legal changes were introduced in 2023, the procedure is still permitted only when a pregnant person’s life is in immediate danger.

The exhibition re-interprets the Jane Collective through Maltese imagery (Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday)

“I wanted it to be a predominantly Maltese setting, with Maltese women,” she said, explaining that the exhibition incorporates symbolism rooted in local tradition, including church imagery, Maltese tiles and landscapes.

Through black and white portraits, a layered soundscape and a short visual film, the exhibition attempts to merge historical narrative with contemporary realities.

“The black and white film was to give a sort of timelessness, looking back at history,” Adams said. “It also allowed me to develop the film myself.”

The immersive soundscape, featuring church bells and archival recordings linked to Jane Collective founder Heather Booth, incorporates protest chants historically used in the 1960s, many of which are still heard during demonstrations in Valletta today.

“Art is a good way to create dialogue for subjects that aren’t given enough space to talk about,” Adams said. “I think that by doing this, maybe people with differing views will be able to reflect.”

Alongside the exhibition, a public discussion will take place on 18 March, bringing together Adams and representatives from Young Progressive Beings, aiming to extend the themes of the exhibition into a wider conversation with an audience of diverse viewpoints.

“I don’t want it to be a debate,” Adams said. “I don’t want people to come just to give hate or turn it into something controversial. It’s more for people to come with an open mind, to listen, ask questions, and feel safe to give their opinion.”

While the exhibition honours the women who risked arrest to help others access safe abortions, Adams also sees the work as a form of protest.

“I see lots of protests, but the thing is, it is still a big topic of shame here as well,” she expressed.

By revisiting the story of the Jane Collective through a Maltese lens, Adams hopes audiences will leave the gallery considering the exhibition’s central question: what has really changed?

“Maybe we can make a change,” she said.

The exhibition at Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta runs until 12 April 2026