An exciting and new exhibition space in Senglea, Art by the Seaside, is hosting Christmas Collective Art Exhibition, a mixture of painting and sculpture by some of our country’s prominent artists. There is no focus on particular themes; rather, one can admire a flow through different media and genres.

Antonio Mifsud, renowned for his high-relief sculptures of biblical episodes, is exhibiting a triptych, Abstract Bastions, that finds the artist exploring abstraction. Some might erroneously think this is a foray outside of his comfort zone. However, Mifsud boasts a repertoire of work that goes beyond the strictly representative and often branches into the semi-abstract landscape genre. He loves to delve into colour and composition. One cannot ignore the spiritual dimension that permeates through all his oeuvre.

Delimara by Sarah CallejaDelimara by Sarah Calleja

Sarah Calleja’s en plein air approach to landscape confers a fresh and direct dimension to representing moods and the ever-changing humours of our islands’ natural open spaces. Her piece, Delimara, abstracts a Maltese geographical location into an impression of the place. Rather reminiscent of the style of American artist Robert Motherwell, she composes a symphony of tones of blue and black, capturing the abstract quality of the seaside spirit of the place. The painting evokes marine freshness and fluidity.

Stephania Micallef’s Landscapes radiates with a poetic serenity. Its title, in the plural, suggests a universality of the term ‘landscape’ by intentionally not pointing to a particular geographical location. The artist very sensitively, through a balance in colour and composition, effectively encapsulates the dreamy and abstract essence of nature in a dichromatic flow of land, sea and sky. 

Landscapes by Stephania MicallefLandscapes by Stephania Micallef

“A flow through different media and genres”

Mark Schembri is a maverick artist, not tied down to particular themes. He is certainly non-conformist in his philosophy as expressed through posts on social media that challenge the status quo across all aspects of society. At times, his art can be political; he has always something to say and his opinions are cruelly honest. This is reflected in his art, Schembri seems to follow his daily whims, thus creating an oeuvre that is very spontaneous and effortless while being acerbic. From the Window, however, is quite traditional for him in approach as it essentially depicts the view from his house of the Grand Harbour, with the massive Fort St Angelo and the tempera­mental skies dominating the composition.

Peter by Daniel BorgPeter by Daniel Borg

Daniel Borg is a relatively new name in the Maltese visual art scene. The first COVID lockdown was providential for the artist as he burst onto the scene by regularly posting paintings of his on social media. Coming from a musical background, he felt that, artistically, he needed a reinvention. He rediscovered his teenage love for painting and, in the past year-and-a-half, he created an impressive realist oeuvre of portraits and situations. His exhibit, Peter, demonstrates Borg’s dexterity in masterfully capturing his sitter’s character in an intimate narrative of emotions and maturity.

Modern Cross by Rosanna CilibertiModern Cross by Rosanna Ciliberti

Rosanna Ciliberti’s Modern Cross is an alternative take on a constructivist approach to sculpture. Through an organic layering of strands of apparently polymerous material, the artist reinterprets the iconography of the cross with its vertical-horizontal symbolism. A defining symbol of Christianity, the cross predates the religion by hundreds, if not thousands, of years as it can be encountered in much more ancient civilisations such as the Babylonian and the Persian. Ciliberti’s abstract composition does away with the representation of the crucified body, maybe symbolising the loss of ethos that is corrupting modern religion. Or it could be that the artist is after a timeless, undefined narrative pertinent to the iconography of the cross. 

Senza Parole by Dave CallejaSenza Parole by Dave Calleja

Dave Calleja’s Senza Parole is a sculpture of silent and primitive power, eliciting compari­sons with African and Oceanic art. All facial orifices are sealed – the eyes tightly closed, the mouth almost pursed to a point, the nose seemingly lacking nostrils, while the ear lobes are missing. The title Senza Parole (without words or speechless) rings with special eloquence – a face that cannot express itself as the artist has deprived it of all sensory organs. One is casually reminded of the work of the Austrian Fritz Wotruba and the Italian Venturino Venturi, who sculpted rugged, elemental and powerful images of intentionally unrefined quality.

Untitled by Karl FrömanUntitled by Karl Fröman

Portraiture is Karl Fröman’s forte. He manages to viscerally bring out the character and vulnerability of the sitter. Sometimes these are bathed in a preternatural diffused light while, at other times, a stark incident light shrouds them in light and shadows. One is reminded of Norwegian artist Odd Nerdrum’s approach to portraiture, dramatic backdrops and all. 

This Christmas collective, which also includes works by Kevin Attard, Kevin Sciberras and Alan Azzopardi, invites the art-loving public to Senglea’s new gallery, which launched last month with Rebecca Ranieri’s solo exhibition, titled M’haju allibbirari.

The intimate and homely nature of a traditional Maltese town house, converted by its owners, adds to the attraction of Art by the Seaside as visitors can easily picture the artworks exhibited embellishing one’s home and may, thus, be enticed to start or enrich their art collection.

Christmas Collective Art Exhibition is hosted by Art by the Seaside of 65, Triq il-Mina tax-Xatt, Senglea. It runs until December 22. Log on to the gallery’s Facebook page for opening hours and more information. COVID-19 restrictions apply.

Abstract Bastions by Antonio MifsudAbstract Bastions by Antonio Mifsud

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