The freedom of invention

St James Cavalier, in collaboration with the Artitude Gallery, will be featuring 40 works of art and other artefacts revealing the relationship between artist Olaug Vethal and the Maltese people she loved to paint.

The exhibition, entitled Grazzi Malta, features Ms Vethal's works during her residence in Malta, from 1988 to her death a year ago today, on February 24, 2007. In fact, this is the first exhibition featuring her works since then.

The exhibition reveals the changes in her art that took place since her arrival on the island until the last stages of her life, even throughout her illness. The influence of local culture, people, life and light are all evident in her works following her arrival in Malta.

A Norwegian, Ms Vethal became one of Malta's most prolific artists. She is known for her movement and expressive brushstrokes. Joseph Paul Cassar, an artist and art critic, said that "each piece is... concerned with freedom of invention".

Ms Vethal is considered one of the major proponents of figurative expressionism that also possessed a touch of impressionism in so far as capturing a moment in time and en plein air painting. Through this, she embraced the realistic depiction of people and scenes in Malta, most of all village topics.

While residing in Malta, Ms Vethal gave private lessons in advanced level art and taught at the De La Salle Form VI between 1996 and 2007.

Her favourite subjects included portraits, bathers, tribal figures, jazz musicians, temples, boats, dancers and nude figures.

This exhibition will be hosted at the upper galleries at St James Cavalier, in Valletta between Tuesday and March 30. It is sponsored by the Malta Tourism Authority, the National Lotteries Good Causes Fund, the Strickland Foundation, Citadel, Poultons Printshop and Marsovin.

For more information one can call the Artitude Gallery on 2131 6708/9984 4653 or drop an e-mail to christinex 180@hotmail.com.