TOWN SQUARE - Malta's online Art magazine

TOWN SQUARE - Malta's online Art magazine

TOWN SQUARE - Malta's online Art magazine
ISSUE 3

Another month and here I am once again sitting at my table. Once again the weather has returned with a vengeance to being dull and damp. Not that I should complain, after all I did have a very active two weeks while enjoying the constant sunfilled sojourn from winter here. Then that is the Malta weather for you. Sunkissed most of the year with the occasional reminder that there are seasons with rain in the world.
So on to my task or should I say enjoyable narration of what is in store this month.



First a little mild rambling...
Valletta, always elegant, a modestly elegant city, any time of year. Night time is a hugh contrast to day time, as people close shop at 7.00pm and suddenly everyone seems to disappear - it becomes almost ghost like, but still offering some magic. I had the opportunity to be wandering around around 8.00pm alone a week ago, and for the first time in a long time, I saw the main streets totally deserted. It was very windy, gently lit and looked proud and mysterious. I began my walk from the newly paved parliment square, the water spouts on the square, dancing in all directions because of the gushy wind... and I then proceed slowly up the length of Valletta till I reached the last corner of its' long main street, Republic Street(Kingsway to the old folk). I like to think of this city as a woman cultured and modestly sure of herself; comfortable with how well she has matured into a dame worthy of honour and respect but also ready to receive those who visit and love her with open arms.

The history of Valletta is old, perhaps ancient, because the city was built on other older more ancient settlements. Still the Valletta of today stands restored out of the ruins of battles, sieges, and world wars and offers us so much to study and marvel about. Below are a few old maps and a print I "googled" here online to give you a feel and an idea of what it must have been like in past centuries.






















BLAEU, Joan / MORTIER, P. - Valleta ou Valet Ville Forte de l'Isle De Malta
Antique map published in Amsterdam, 1705 (20.3. x .22.3 inches. 51.5. x .56.7 cm.) Excellent
Map of the harbour and city of Valletta was originally published Joan Blaeu in the atlas ?Theatrum Admiradorum??...?. Below the map an index referrers to 57 features on the map. The map was reissued by Pierre Mortier in 1704/1705. In the top right corner a crack in the copperplate is clearly visible.






Description : A so-called optical print. A very decorative and extremely rare view of Valetta, seen from the sea. The mirror-image title in top reads :Vue de la partie sud est de la ville capitale de MalteIn the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries there were many popular speciality establishments in Paris, Augsburg and London, which produced optical viewing devices and special engravings to be viewed through them. In the 18th century the optical print or vue optique came into existence, whose exaggerated converging lines were intended to produce the optical illusion of deep recession.


So enough about Valletta and on to the art events for this month.
I have to admit that I haven't had much time to visit the exhibitions on show this month but I do have a couple of events opening this week. One such exhibition will be opened tonight, 9th March entitled 'Vexilla Regis' by Kevin Attard and Christian Muscat in St. Melita Street. The exhibition will remain open until 30th March. Works on show include complex filigree work and 3d works.

Again on Friday 12th March my other diary event is an exhibition entitled "Studies" by Patrick Scicluna at Palazzo Castellania. To quote E.V. Borg this exhibition is about "dreamy softness and warmth": images that should endear the viewer to the subject matter and create a connection between our childhood memories and present day interactions.
This exhibition will be open until 15th April and open to the public from 8.30am to 5.OO pm. This event is being curated by Mr E.V.Borg.

My closing quote for this month is

“A beautiful thing never gives so much pain as does failing to hear and see it.”
Michelangelo Buonarroti















Art Exhibitions this month:

'Oil Paintings by Contemporary Chinese Students' at the Chinese Cultural Institute, Melita Street. - I am still totally excited by what I have seen here and am convinced it deserves first standing on anyone's agenda for this month. It opens to the public on 19th February and remains open until 31st March 2010.


26 March - 9 May 2010
Mostly Churches

by Marc England at St.James Cavalier Main Hall


Till March 5
Ideal and Sublime

An exhibition of paintings by Joseph Muscat and Leslie S. Agius is showing at Palazzo Castellania, 15 Merchants Street, Valletta. The exhibition is open between 8.30 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Till March 5
Journey with Caravaggio

Bulgarian artist Daniela Guevska is exhibiting a series of works at the Auberge d’Italie, Merchants Street, Valletta, inspired by Caravaggio, commemorating the 400th anniversary since his death.

Till March 11
10 Years of Art

George Farrugia is exhibiting a series of works executed over the past decade at the Art Academy Gallery, 131, Constitution Street, Mosta.

Till March 12
For the Love of Art

A collective exhibition of unique art pieces, including oil paintings, sculptures, mixed media and photography, from prominent local and international artists is showing at Opus 64 Galerie, Tigné Street, Sliema.

Opening March 13
A Language Within
Gozitan artist John Grima is holding an extensive personal show of recent paintings at the Auberge d’Italie, the headquarters of the Malta Tourism Authority, in Valletta. A Language Within will be open to the public as of March 13 and will run till April 2. Opening hours: 9 a.m. till 5 p.m. Monday to Friday.

Opening March 13
Inspire

A fund raising exhibition - the 13th Collective Exhibition organised by the Eden and Razzett Foundation Fundraising Committee - Gozo. The event is being hosted at 18 Republic Street, Victoria, Gozo.

Till March 14
Upon Arrival: Spatial Exploration

This exhibition by Austrian artists investigates architectural and social spaces. Curated by Margit Neuhold, works by Veronika Hauer, Nikola Hansalik, Nicole Six and Paul Petritsch, Andreas Heller, Sabine Bitter and Helmut Weber, Michael Gumhold and Gerald Straub. Showing at the upper galleries, St James Cavalier, Valletta.

Till March 21
Fragments of Tibet

A photographic exhibition by Aaron Micallef is being held at the Malta Maritime Museum, Vittoriosa This event promotes Tibetan art and culture through 38 photographic exhibits and seven rare thangka paintings.

Till March 28
Nocturne
an exhibition of recent paintings by Mark Sagona
at Le Meridien Hotel - St. Julian's - on Level One.

Till March 31
Cosmic Art

An exhibition of works by artists Lilika Papanicolaou and “Turo” Arthur Rizzo is currently showing at Assaggi Restaurant, Qalliet Street, St Julians.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Filigree Exhibition in St. Melita Street - Valletta
Opening 9th March 2010















Photography by Doranne Alden

Kevin Attard does not look much like a traditional silver filigree maker when I first meet him at his studio on the top floor of a city townhouse. Yet, for the past 20 years, he has been creating intricate silver shapes which, despite their complex detail, are moving in their vitality. And, recently, the filigree artist has turned the traditional methods of filigree-making to contemporary use, with the aim of breathing new life into a fading art.

The result has brought him some success, he says and, although the young craftsman still follows traditional patterns, he has also moved into creating more unusual items – such as chess pieces – and even a miniature silver toilet for a collector.

“Almost anything can be crafted in filigree,” he smiles. “It simply takes patience and some trial-and-error, as the process is always the same.”

The technique of filigree-making was probably adopted from the Spanish-style technique that was popular at the beginning of the Baroque period, he explains. Simultaneously fragile and strong, the silver wires are fused together with fire, using a blow torch or Bunsen burner. “This is the part I like best,” smiles Kevin, “because that is when everything finally comes together.”

Gold and copper can also be used, but Kevin prefers to work in silver, the shiny pieces with their ancient material coming to life under his hands. The beauty of filigree lies in its delicacy, he says, as he skilfully winds the wires into the various shapes.

Over the years, however, the old and beautiful craft had come to be associated with brooches and Maltese crosses, losing some of its versatility and appeal with the young. “Maltese crosses are still the most common items,” says Kevin, “I must have made a million of them,” he smiles.

“But I have also spent a lot of time developing jewellery designs that are also popular with young people,” he says. “The effect remains dainty but, by using modern designs and thinking outside the box with regards to contemporary styles and shapes, it seems that young women are choosing to wear filigree again.”

Standard designs – used in different sizes and in different ways allow for infinite options, he says excitedly. Despite its beauty, however, this old craft is in danger of fading away, he says. “I make all my pieces by hand, but filigree can be manufactured cheaply in countries like China, which has put a strain on the local industry,” he says. The number of craftsmen has in fact been dwindling and today only very few are left, he says.

Yet Kevin is not disheartened. “I subsidise the work that I do with other artistic work such as acting and painting and I hold regular classes, encouraging people to take an interest in filigree making,” he says. And his work can be found in many shops around Malta and Gozo, while he consistently has bulk order items that he needs to work on.

“My work gives me a lot of satisfaction,” says Kevin, “and I love it when a woman wears one of my pieces and is obviously pleased with the way it looks.” A ray of light shines in through the window, lighting up the silver pieces on his workshop, imbuing them with a glint of life. “I am happy that people’s perception of filigree seems to be changing,” he says, “I hope that, as an art form, it can continue to become more and more popular in the years to come.”

courtesy of - http://www.pocketmalta.com/fire.html

TOWNSQUARE - FROM MY CAFE TABLE

ISSUE 2

THE CITY SQUARE

The artist's meeting place by Dora Alden on February 10, 2010

It is a public holiday today in Malta, and still February -hence for us Maltese it is the middle of winter and so the day is cool and wet from time to time. Still the sun manages to come out in between these spardonic showers. For this reason I have been forced to take shelter inside my favourite cafe on the city square - I sit at the cafe bar opposite the street and watch the world go by. As it sits in my hands, my coffee is invitingly hot and the froth is just right. The place is filled with the sound of chatter and the clinking of plates. There is a lovely smell of toasted sandwiches and freshly brewed coffees. Maybe I ll get something to eat but on second thoughts I think I'll skip the peacake today as I have to get used to the Lenten fast next week and of course it would do me good to starve off some fats for a change.
Looking out towards the Cordina entrance, people are starting to gather for an on-foot tour of Valletta. They huddle close under small umbrellas and I wonder if they will visit the Armoury and St. John's Co Cathedral once again today? The most popular Valletta tours are planned in this way, leaving tourists little time to really absorb what else this beautiful city has to offer. This month is especially good for exhibitions - my opinion of course. Still I have to say that the most fabulous exposition is at the Chinese Cultural Institute in Melita Street entitled a 'Collection of Oil Paintings by Contemporary Chinese Students' - I am totally excited by what I have seen here and am convinced it deserves first standing on my agenda for this month. It opens to the public on 19th February and remains open until 31st March 2010. After a thorough search on the internet I finally found some relevant material issued by the institute, but not enough is written here to describe this wonderful exhibition. The write up can be viewed below in the art events' list. The exhibition is definitely a do not miss event and the other best thing is it's FREE.




ART EVENTS

WHEN: 12.02.2010 - 14.03.2010
EVENT TITLE Upon Arrival: Spatial Exploration
WHERE: St James Cavalier - Valletta

TYPE: Exhibitions

EVENT DESCRIPTION:
Upon Arrival: Spatial Exploration - This exhibition by Austrian artists investigates architectural and social spaces. Curated by Margit Neuhold, works by Veronika Hauer, Nikola Hansalik, Nicole Six & Paul Petritsch, Andreas Heller, Sabine Bitter & Helmut Weber, Michael Gumhold and Gerald Straub. Time: Monday & Tuesday 09:00 hrs - 17:00 hrs, Wednesday to Friday 09:00 hrs - 21:00 hrs, Saturday, Sunday and public holidays 10:00 hrs - 21:00hrs.
________________________________________

4 February
Marc England at St. James Cavalier in Valletta

Marc England will be exhibiting his paintings in the main hall of St. James Cavalier in Valletta. The Exhibition, to be inaugurated by Prof. Serracino Inglott, will be opened on the 25th of March and will run until the 9th of May 2010.


The subjects of his work are mostly Churches in Malta and Gozo. Although this subject has been treated on countless occasions by other artists, Marc manages to give his churches a particular ethereal and mystical veil of gothic solemnity, that seperates them from any other style. Whether his tints and tones are subdued, or whether contrasted with explosive colour, both are equally imposing and dramatic. He has indeed developed a unique and individual technique that is highly recognizable.
________________________________________
14 February
Fragments of Tibet Photographic exhibition

An exhibition by Aaron Micallef between the 14th February and 21st March 2010 at the Malta Maritime Museum, Vittoriosa.
When Tibet opened its doors to the rest of the world in the 1950s, a remarkable civilisation with a vibrant culture and profound spiritual traditions emerged. Tibetan arts and culture form a valuable part of the world’s heritage; they draw their value from Mahayana Buddhism, and they have been shaped by the remoteness of the Tibetan territory and the climatic and environmental conditions of the Himalayas. The Tibet Society Malta, in collaboration with Heritage Malta and the Norbulingka Institute, is organising a photographic exhibition entitled ‘Fragments of Tibet’. Our aim is to share with you a unique and rich heritage that is being preserved in Tibetan refugee communities in India.
________________________________________
17 February


________________________________________
19 February
EXHIBITION -
Collection of Oil Paintings of Contemporary Chinese Students -
February 19th - March 31st
Venue: China Cultural CentrePeople may think that oil painting in China has merely a 100-year history. In fact, the first oil painting was introduced to China in 1579 when Western missionaries came to spread Christianity. They not only brought the paintings of the Christ but also sowed the seeds of oil painting in China. Over 400
years, Chinese oil painting has gone through shocks and conflicts between the native culture and foreign trends of thoughts and stood up to the social transformation and historical changes. Compared to the past, contemporary Chinese oil painting has been localized and become a prominent part in the oil painting circles around the world.
It is really hard trying to know the yesterday, today, and future development of the arts of a certain nation in a short period of time. However, an exhibition of paintings by graduates from the academies of fine arts may provide us an easy and unique access to that result. Creations of these graduates reflect the tradition as well as the future development of the arts in their country. As the works of art graduates display the quality of the art education of their country, they also, to some extent, prove the country’s accomplishments and consolidate its position in the global realm of arts. For an individual artist, his graduation works are not only the first height of his creativity but also an explosive expression of his personal talent. More often than not, those works become his masterpieces and even help build his reputation in his career, therefore attract the attention of both critics and collectors.
“The Collection of Oil Paintings of Contemporary Chinese Students” is organized just for this purpose. It consists of 60 excellent pieces by talented graduates from the prestigious academies of fine arts in China created over the past 2 years. Some of those outstanding young artists are most likely to become the future leaders of the art world in China. In this regard, this exhibition provides a glimpse of the prospects and future development of oil painting in China.
Entrance is free. Visitors are warmly welcome.

________________________________________
23.01.2010 - 28.02.2010
Marc Penninc de Landas
Valletta Exhibitions

05.02.2010 - 27.02.2010
Silver Palette Competition/Exhibition
Valletta Exhibitions

06.02.2010 - 14.02.2010
Exhibition of Art / Family Coat of Arms
Mosta Exhibitions

12.02.2010 - 28.02.2010
Confluenze Mediterranee
Valletta Exhibitions

12.02.2010 - 14.03.2010
Upon Arrival: Spatial Exploration
Valletta Exhibitions

14.02.2010 - 21.03.2010
Fragments of Tibet
Vittoriosa Exhibitions

27.02.2010 - 04.04.2010
Dreams and Visions
Valletta Exhibitions

________________________________________
22 February -
Los fantasmas de Goya – a Spanish film by Milos Forman - Spanish Cultural Centre, Valletta. – 6.30 p.m.
________________________________________
Interesting site of the month:

1. Old Street Plan of Valletta
http://cilialacorte.com/Valletta%20Street%20Names.htm

2. Noel Galea Bason (born 1955 – Floriana, Malta)



Trained as a Coin and medal engraver at the "Scuola dell'Arte della Medaglia" at the State Mint in Rome. He has designed and engraved over 60 coins including a 10 coin set for the Republic of San Marino and the Malta Euro Coin set. Galea Bason has exhibited his bronze relief sculpture in Malta, England, Portugal, Yugoslavia and France. His work may be found in several collections including the British Museum.

He is regularly commissioned by the Presidency of Malta to create gifts for visiting Heads of State such as HM Queen Elizabeth II, HE President Mario Soares of Portugal, HH Pope John Paul II and HRH Juan Carlos of Spain

http://noelgaleabason.com/
http://grandmastersofmalta.com/

Quote of the month
the true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection.
::: Michelangelo :::

TOWNSQUARE - FROM MY CAFE TABLE

The Artist's Meeting Place ISSUE 1

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE CITY SQUARE - a message from my cafe table


by Dora Alden on January 28, 2010

This is the first installment of what I hope will become an interesting meeting place for anyone interested in art in Malta and abroad.
Just to get you acquainted with the location in this picture - It is Cafe Cordina(winter view) in Valletta, Malta. A great meeting place in all seasons - weather permitting of course...
Ahhh 'Humilissima Civitas' 'Valletta …a city built by gentlemen for gentlemen' or so Byron wrote…the fortified capital city of Malta…one of the most concentrated historic areas in the world'. This is infact where this blog will be written or at least in my mind's eye. I shall imagine sitting there, undisturbed with a lovely cafe latte and peacake, hot from the oven, pigeons and the Mediterranean sunlight blocked off by my large umbrella. So back to my blog... In hindsight I like to think of Valletta as the cultural centre of Malta. After all it has the highest concentration of art orientated buildings on the island, all located in one area. That is with its' renaissance and baroque architecture,mostly grand palazzos all housing the island's foremost theatres, galleries and museums it certainly quailfies as a hub on the island - hence attracting local intellectuals, artists', and the culture vultures of Malta. And so to my blog in Pjazza Regina...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valletta
http://www.cityofvalletta.org/cityofvalletta/content.aspx?id=46648

So why a blog and why this one - well I recently found myself wondering, more often than not, why we don't have an ART MAGAZINE and that there was a great void in this area where we needed to get Malta on the art map of the world. I have to admit that I also discussed this idea and discarded it several times over the last years but I believe that it has finally become an unavoidable fact that I have to do this before I give in to the nonchalance and laissez-faire attitude that one gets by ignoring these things after a while . I do appreciate that writing anything about anything is no easy task - unless you were born a writer, writing about this kind of thing can be intellectually draining. Still as I feel so strongly about it I pray that it will help to fuel my energy to get my thoughts down here from time to time and reach a few people who can appreciate what the island has to offer. This way I would be able to launch the local art scene, introduce many upcoming artists, musicians, actors, photographers etc., perhaps even galleries and events and at the same time offer the chance to meet with them here or at least discover their art or artists in Malta and those overseas. Eventually I hope to invite outside critque from foreign art critics and find a way to introduce constructive write-ups and some lively debates for art students, art enthusiasts and hopefuls out there. I do believe a standard has to be set as in art there has to be a bar to aim for and also because if I do not then the whole idea of my blog will have failed to reach its' aim.

"The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it. "

Michelangelo Buonarroti
1474-1564, Italian Renaissance Painter and Sculptor