The annual Fine Arts Fundraising Art Exhibition in aid of the Malta Community Chest Fund has come about early this year, and its organisers have decided the focus is to be uniquely on sculptural works of art. This expertly curated collection of three-dimensional sculptures is ready to welcome visitors at San Anton Palace during the coming weekends up until Sunday, June 18.

MCCF’s Fine Arts Committee which has recently been rebranded as Art4MCCF, has thought of making space for sculptors, both Maltese and foreign, but strictly located on the Maltese Islands, to showcase their works in SCULPTURA. The exhibition is being held at the prestigious Presidential Palace in Attard, a venue offered by courtesy of the president of Malta.

The list of artists on board totals 32, and the selection of works they have produced is truly an impressive miscellany of the sculptural talent currently found on our Islands. Participating artists include Joseph Agius, Victor Agius, Noel Attard, Aaron Bezzina, Clint Calleja, David Calleja, Antoine Paul Camilleri, Roderick Camilleri, Josette Caruana, Thomaz Cauchi, Martina Darmanin, Stiefnu De Battista, Katel Delia, Trevor Diacono, Lucio Dubini, Wallace Falzon, Etienne Farrell, Antoine Farrugia, Ruben Formosa, Paul Haber, Rune Bo Jakobsen, Mark Mallia, Nadya Anne Mangion, George Muscat, Lawrence Pavia, Stefan Priehyba, Amelia Saint George, Stephen Saliba, Paul Scerri, Thomas Scerri, Darren Tanti and Isaac Warrington.

Curator Melanie Erixon who has been an Art4MCCF member for the past three years and has also curated other Art4MCCF exhibitions, explains that this is the first time such an exhibition has been totally devoted to the art of sculpture.

“Although the collective is not based on any one specific theme, it is focusing on providing a curated representation of the current local sculpture scene and active sculptors on the Maltese Islands. The majority of the invited artists are ‘officially’ known sculptors, however, there are others who have been generally recognised as being painters or photographers.

One can appreciate a wide diversity of dynamic sculptures that boast mediums as varied and as contrasting as stone and paper, brass and bone

“However, the latter have also created sculpture in the past or have started experimenting with sculpture very recently, and this definitely adds to the excitement, creativity, and eclecticism of the presented works. The choice of artists ranges from the most established on Malta and Gozo, to young up-and-coming artists who show great promise and potential, and have been hand-picked to participate in SCULPTURA.”

One can appreciate a wide diversity of dynamic sculptures that boast mediums as varied and as contrasting as stone and paper, brass and bone, to name but a few. Thematically, since the artists have been given free rein, the onus is on originality and there is loads of that throughout all of the show.

The exhibition contains bas-relief, mid-relief and high-relief works including also an interactive composition. Free-standing, large and imposing all-in-the-round sculptures stand next to smaller delicate creations. Some artists seem to have created their sculpture in playful mode, whilst others have delved deeply into philosophical insight.

Certain works tease the onlooker into perceiving the meaning behind the convolutions of the medium, yet others stand to attention as if saying, ‘what you see is what you get’. Most certainly, each sculpture tells its own unique story, that of the artist who produced it and of the frame of mind that contributed towards its existence.

Art4MCCF chairperson Lawrence Pavia voiced his appreciation of all those who have accepted to participate in SCULPTURA, “We are ever so grateful to the artists who are donating their work, and all or part of the proceeds of their sale, to the MCCF.

At the same time, we are providing these artists with a platform to exhibit their works in SCULPTURA.  As from last year, we decided to move away from the concept of an auction and on to a curated exhibition, thus showing quality artworks while retaining the market price of each individual work as determined by the artists themselves.

This concept has now been accepted as a good model to use for future exhibitions of this kind. Ultimately, myself as chairman, the secretary and the 12 Committee members of Art4MCCF would like to thank all those who have contributed to make this exhibition possible. We trust visitors will abound to make SCULPTURA a success.”

SCULPTURA is a collective art exhibition of sculptures in aid of the Malta Community Chest Fund – an Art4MCCF initiative, curated by Melanie Erixon and hosted at Antoine de Paule Hall, San Anton Palace, Attard. It is open on Saturday June 3 and Sunday 4; Saturday June 10 and Sunday 11; Saturday June 17 and Sunday 18 from 9am to noon and from 5 to 8pm.