Maltese art works to be exhibited in Sicily

Works by a number of Maltese artists will soon be exhibited in Italy through the work of Dame Françoise Tempra, president of Malta International Art Biennale.

The works by Maltese artists will be seen at the Malta Biennale Tempra Museum that will be officially opened on Saturday in Palma di Montechiaro in Sicily.

The museum is a donation by Dame Françoise and her sister Mina to the Italian state and is in the indefinite care of the municipality of Palma de Montechiaro at the city's ducal palace.

The Tempra museum will represent an "ever-lasting mark of Malta in Sicily", art historian Dame Françoise said. It would include more than 200 paintings, sculptures, watercolours, graphics, collages, photographs and books by 115 artists from 47 countries.

The art pieces will be illustrated in a 120-page catalogue written by Dame Tempra, published in both English and Italian by the municipality of Palma di Montechiaro and which will be available for all those visiting the Magna Grecia and the temples of Agrigento.

Meanwhile, this year's Tempra summer academy will be held at La Colombara sport and culture centre in Rovigo, an hour's drive from Venice airport. Dame Tempra said 12 out of the 20 participating artists are Maltese.