Art in Malta

	A restoration project on paintings by Emvin Cremona In the sanctuary dedicated to the Pinu Holy Mary in Gozo has started.
	Till now, 13 out of 20 original paintings of this artist have been restored. The other 7 paintings, the work have just started and is looking that is moving fast. It is also planned that all the paintings will be displayed for the public viewing.
	This project started way back in October 2005 and is being sponsored by the Bank of Valletta. The restoration is being held by Godwin Cutajar from Gozo. The paintings by Emvin Cremona were painted between 1954 and 1952. They were sent to Italy to replicate a mosaic painting. These paintings were sent back and they were kept in safe where they have been ignored. Some of which they were damaged by humidity and most of them were kept outstretched. Now they have been stretched again as per art techniques requirements.

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I met Richard Saliba during figure drawing sessions at the studio of Alfred Briffa. I have told Richard about the idea of this website and I offered to feature an article about him. He accepted and invited me to visit his studio which is close to his residence in Sliema. From the outside the studio looks like a normal garage. As you step in, you could feel that you have entered into a world of peacefulness and tranquility. The walls of the studio are decorated with landscapes from Malta and Gozo that the artist has been painting for number of years. This is the studio where Richard Saliba spends hours painting, drawing and on some occasion doing etchings.

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The second edition of Notte Bianca – an all night long celebration of arts and culture.
On Saturday, 6 October, 2007 from 6pm until the early hours of Sunday, the public is invited to re-discover the Capital city of Malta Valletta through performances, exhibitions, shows, visual installations, parades, and tours.

Notte Bianca Art related highlights:

St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity

Sekwenza III – Abstract acrylic on canvas
World Press Photography – International prize-winning photographs seen by 2 million visitors by World Press Photo

Vee Gee Bee Art Gallery

Sekwenza -Paintings, ceramics, sculptures, pottery and jewellery – pre-view of Sekwenza I – IV
Artists Alive -Artists painting & sketching beautiful Valletta Buildings

Upper Barrakka Gardens

Reprocessed – Live making and exhibition of installations from recycled material

Auberge D’ Italie (Ministry for Tourism & Culture)

Maltese Abstract Paintings -Exhibition in collaboration with Heritage Malta

General Workers’ Union Memorial Building

Sekwenza II- Pottery, ceramics and sculpture exhibition

St Catherine D’ Italie

MOYA On Canvas – Artist working live on large stretched canvas

Palazzo Castellania (Ministry of Health)

Painting Paediatricians – Exhibition and live paintings by Victor Grech, Mathese Ellul, Simon Attard Montalto and Anton Mifsud

Casa Brunet (Malta School of Art)

Exhibition by tutors and students; still-life classes in action

Palazzo De La Salle (Malta Society of Arts)

Collective Exhibition 2007 by various artists

Mediterranean Conference Centre

Sekwenza I – Portrait interpretations by various artists

I met Giuseppe during a visit at Caravaggio exhibition. He gave me a quick tour of his work which was displayed well in separate rooms at the St. James Valletta.

I made an appointment and met Giuseppe in his studio. As soon as I stepped in his studio, I could see the walls well decorated with all his work.  One particular collection was as described by Giuseppe as part of a set of studies of the Holy Mary interpreted in the form of “The Fat lady”.  One of the paintings from this collection which is still fresh in my mind is La Pieta (Our lady of sorrow).  I passed through a corridor which walls are surrounded with art some of which abstract and others figurative.  When talking to Giuseppe in his art studio he told me that he cannot segregate his art.  During the creation he gets so intimate that he does not distinguish between classic, abstract , contemporary or other form of art. He leaves that up to the viewers’ interpretation.  Every piece of art has an explanation which explanation is not written or hardly shown.  The explanation is found by those individuals who are interested in Giuseppe’s art and are ready to sit down and listen to the artist.

Giuseppe was born in 1955 studied art at the Malta school of Arts . Later on he went to Moscow at Grabar Institute, Moscow Institute of Modern Art, and in the Lyon Academy of light where he studied art philosophy of light and stained glass art.

He exhibited his works in various galleries in Paris , Lyon, Milan , Stuttgart , Sofia , Canberra and Moscow . In Malta he had exhibited at the Museum of Fine Arts , at the Mdina Cathedral Museum , and other venues.  Giuseppe is also a visiting lecturer at the University of Malta where he lectures in Modern Art, Art Theory and Fine arts.

Giuseppe believes that a good artist is the one who disciplines himself in the design. Discipline in the design is the foundation of becoming a good artist. He spent years studying the Masters of the Masters such as Rembrandt, Durer, Matisse and others.

I asked Giuseppe how he gets his inspirations; “I need a theme which I will use as an excuse to state something about my existing in this world.  Art is a fundamental question about the existence of human being and makes the difference between life and death”.

Giuseppe discussed the understanding art. “Art is visual and therefore one should be trained to look at art.  The more knowledge you have the better you will be to select between a good art and a bad one.”  He added “A good musician identifies immediately a note which is out of tune in a piece of music. I have also trained my eyes to identify good art.”

 Manuel Caruana

Bank of Valletta is sponsoring Limestone Perceptions, the first solo exhibition by Joseph J. Soler, in the inner courtyard of Vilhena Palace in Mdina.

The exhibition runs till September 23.

As part of the 400 years anniversary celebration of the visit from the famous Italian artist Caravaggio 12 masterpieces are going to be brought to Malta to be exhibit and enjoyed by the public. The exhibition will be held between the 25th September and 30th November 2007. The exhibit masterpieces are going to be brought from Europe and America.This exhibition is going to be held at the Archeology Museum in Republic Street Valletta. The public is invited to visit this exhibition between Mondays to Sundays 0900hrs to 1900hrs.Photos and detailed description of each masterpiece will be posted in this site latter on.

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In the occasion of the 43 years anniversary of the Independence, The P.N. is organising an Art exhibition in Mdina.  An introduction was given by the Maltese Prime Minister Dr Lawrence Gonzi.  He explained the importance of Art and culture in our island.  Furthermore he expressed his feeling about the place where this exhibition is organised which is in the heart of a historical city Mdina.   He also explained the importance that the young generation will appreciate the artistic talents. Dr Lawrence Gonzi closed his speech by giving thanks to the places which are hosting the exhibition.   Without the cooperation and initiative of these commercial places, the exhibition could not be possible.  The place which are hosting the exhibition are the following;

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Anton Agius is a sculptor in bronze, concrete, stone, cold cast bronze, brass chiselling, ceramics, and wood, a stamp designer and watercolour painter. He was born on 1st December, 1933 in Rabat, Malta. Described as ‘a man with a determination of steel, with an expressive sensibility and a prolific sculptor.’ Anton Agius has since 1961 carved wood and a niche for himself in Maltese contemporary art.

I was introduced to Anton by Angelo Agius. Upon my first meeting with Anton Agius, I felt so much welcome by himself, his wife Mary Louise and his son Anton Junior. We sat down in his sitting room which is fully decorated by his master pieces. Anton, soon started talking with Angelo about is life in general. Angelo described the great respect he has for Anton. Their friendship goes back to 1961 upon Anton’s return from London. I asked Anton for an interview which he did not refuse. He asked his wife to get for us two books which illustrates some of his master pieces.

The conversation, took a spin and Anton started talking about his past and how much hours he spent in the past modelling with clay and carving in stone or wood. He said ‘I spent nights after arriving from the school of arts, modelling in clay and after those hours, I had to wet the clay and cover before I could go to sleep. I was full of energy.’ He continued unfolding some history behind some of his work. One particular master piece is a stone sculpture a figure of circle with a female and male figures. ‘This represent the world generation which as long as there is the male and the female the world can goes round.’ A photo of such master piece will be added next week. A detailed interview with Anton is scheduled for next week.

As to general life history, Anton’s history goes back to 1953 where till 1957 he studied at the Malta Government School of Art and was awarded a four-year scholarship abroad. In Rome he studied at the Academia di Belle Arti, Scuola Del Nudo dell’Associazone Artistica Internazionale and the Scuola delle Arte Ornamentale (Taglio del Legno). In London he studied at St. Martin’s School of Art, where he qualified for the National Diploma in Design, Modelling, Sculpture and Letter Cutting. Anton’s work is all over the Maltese island. Busts and monuments can be found in almost every village and town on the island. Indeed, most of Malta’s sculpture commemorating milestones in its history and the people who shaped its destiny is his.

The Malta Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce awarded its 2006 Gold Medal to Anton Agius, he renowned sculptor, in recognition of his achievements and interest in the Arts.

Some of his masterpieces are; Bronze Monuments executed by Anton Agius include: Workers Memorial Monument, Msida, Malta; Freedom Monument, Vittoriosa, Malta; Dun Mikiel Xerri and Compatriots, Valletta, Malta; Sette Giungo, Valletta, Malta; Manuel Dimech, Valletta, Malta; Anton Buttigieg, Hamrun, Malta and Mrs Maria Balbi, Marsa, Malta

Do you know Anton? Do you have any comments or Anton’s work in your private collection? Please send me comments and you can also send me photos of Anton’s work to be uploaded in the website.