Book launch to bring together art and poetry in celebratory evening

A new publication celebrating the intersection of visual art and poetry in Malta will be officially launched at Valletta Contemporary on July 10 from 6pm to 9pm at a public event featuring readings, discussions and the opportunity to meet some of Malta’s most prominent literary and artistic voices.

The event will feature an introduction at 6.30pm by Ivan Callus, followed by poetry readings at 6.40pm by Maria Theuma, Immanuel Mifsud, Rachelle Deguara, Sam Alekksandra and Adrian Grima.

Phase and Occasion is a collaborative publication that draws together the visual and literary arts. Described as both a poetry anthology and an exploration of contemporary Maltese art, the book showcases poetry in dialogue with the visual works of Norbert Francis Attard. The collection includes contributions from a wide range of writers – primarily from Malta, with some international voices – whose works engage with Attard’s art across several decades.

Norbert Francis Attard

The anthology features work by notable writers including Joe Friggieri, Anton Buttigieg, Mario Azzopardi, Claudio Fiorentini, Caesar Attard, Claudia Gauci, Simone Inguanez, Maria Grech Ganado, Michael Zammit, Giuseppe Schembri Bonaci, Richard England, Maria Mangion, Marlene Saliba, and many others. It is introduced by Callus, a literary scholar at the University of Malta, and edited by Theuma, whose interdisciplinary academic background informs the publication's approach to both poetry and visual culture.

A limited-edition etching by Attard, titled SILENCE, will be available for purchase exclusively at the launch. The work is printed in an edition of 50 and will accompany the book.

A limited-edition etching by Attard, titled SILENCE, will be available for purchase exclusively at the launch.

Attard, born in Malta in 1951 and currently based between Gozo and Berlin, began his career as a painter and graphic artist before transitioning to installation art in the late 1990s. Trained as an architect, Attard incorporates elements of architecture, sculpture, photography, and video in his work, exploring memory, place, and the layered experiences of space. His artistic practice merges disciplines to create reflective works rooted in site and social context.

The launch event is set to bring together artists, writers, and the public in celebration of this interdisciplinary dialogue between poetry and visual art. Attendees are encouraged to RSVP in advance.

This publication was partially funded by the National Book Council's Malta Book Fund 2024.