The first Gozo Arts Weekend is taking place this weekend, comprising a series of events at various venues focusing on the work of artist Giuseppe Calì (1846-1930).

John Xuereb, director of Cultural Heritage at the Ministry for Gozo, describes Calì as one of Malta’s greatest artists who distinguished himself with his realistic style and the romantic influences that marked his work.

One of Giuseppe Calì’s best known paintings, Death of Dragut.

On Friday at 7pm at Għajnsielem’s old church, Fr Charles Vella will give a lecture on the restoration of Calì’s paintings at the church. This will be followed at 8.30pm by an instrumental and vocal concert by the Cordia String Quartet and soprano Marouska Attard at the same venue.

On Saturday, from 10am to 5pm, at the ministry’s exhibition hall, there will be an exhibition of paintings by Calì loaned by various Gozitan churches.

From 10.30am to 12.30pm at St George’s Square, there will be a Calì Tableaux directed by George Mizzi.

At 7.30pm at the ministry exhibition hall there will an instrumental concert, followed by a reception.

On Sunday from 10am to 1pm at Xewkija square there will be an activity for children entitled ‘Discover the Calì in you’, organised by the Gozo Visual and Performing Arts School.

The Gozo Art Weekend, being held from Friday to Sunday, is organised by the Gozo Ministry’s Cultural Heritage Directorate in collaboration with the Society Friends of the Crib – Għajnsielem section. For details, visit www.visitgozo.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/jpg2pdf.pdf.