CHRISTINE PORTER LOFARO speaks to curator Xaxa (Charlene) Calleja about her first solo exhibition, Essence, on show at The Malta Society of Arts.

XC: When did you first start taking painting seriously?

CPL: Painting and drawing were important to me since I was young. Choosing a career in art education was another step that reflected my passion for art and creativity. This direction was also mirrored in my academic studies and my doctoral research. I have been painting for around 20 years but I started working on my painting full-time around the end of 2017. It was also the time when I had seen a noticeable shift in my art style and, therefore, dedicated more time to explore it.

Quo vadis

XC: What have been some of the most significant developments in your style over the years?

CPL: In the beginning, my work was predominantly in the academic style of painting, which was part of my artistic training. I then started to develop a particular interest in hard edge and a flat style of painting. I was inspired by the late artist Harry Alden, who was my mentor for a number of years. I have also noticed that this style was slowly changing and morphing into different variants.

At one point, I was also aware that I was doing a lot of detailed studies on the side and gravitating towards realistic work. This was always something I liked, and, ultimately, I wanted to explore it further. This was the time I focused totally on realism and started working on the style I have today.

Life goes on

XC: How has being a realist painter affected your artistic development?

CPL: I see realism as just another style I work in but, in rea­lity, it did affect the way I work. The process is different because it can be more intensive and I am very meticulous in all the steps I take to do my work. I think being a realist painter also affected the way I observe things. I look more closely at textures, at the way objects behave in light and shade, at little things that would, otherwise, be overlooked and at subtle shifts in colour. It sort of opened a macro-lens view on the world which was, otherwise, not developed before.

XC: What led you to pick the title Essence as the subject of this exhibition?

CPL: The subject matter for this collection of paintings is drawn from distinct sources and personal experiences. The paintings portray different reflections and observations taken from an ongoing journey of discovery.

I always smile when people think that some of the works are photos or prints and then read on the label that they are oil paintings

In parallel to an overwhelming and hectic world there is a simultaneous reality that is all about the substance of being, what matters most and what is really of essence, which could look different for everyone. Essence as a title for this collection of work seemed to best capture this concept and the type of reflections portrayed in my work.

Babbew

XC: Why do you mostly work in oil?

CPL: Throughout my artistic career, I have worked and experimented in different media. Once I started working in oil, it was something I really enjoyed and I continued to develop different techniques and different ways of working with this medium. I really like its texture and the way it allows me to manipulate it, due to its slow-drying nature. This could also be a disadvantage but I use particular mediums to better control the drying time, which makes it easier to work with. Although I work mainly in oil, I still enjoy other media and I generally used these in sketchbooks and during experiments in my studio.

XC: How did working in oil affect the overall outcome of the exhibition?

CPL: I’m not really sure that it affected the overall outcome of the exhibition as such because I always think in terms of oil painting. So, when I started preparing for this exhibition, I always had oil paintings in mind.

I think, as a medium, visitors do enjoy the fact that my paintings are in oil. I always smile when people think that some of the works are photos or prints and then read on the label that they are oil paintings.

Distant spring

XC: Any ideas as to what you will be doing next after the exhibition?

CPL: I think an exhibition is an important milestone which teaches you many things. So it gives you the opportunity to think about many aspects. I believe a lot in taking some time to think about the next steps and to recalibrate. I would like to have time to explore different directions for my work and also to think about possible future exhibitions. I would also like to exhibit my work in galleries abroad.

 Essence is on until October 27 at the Art Galleries of the Malta Society of Arts, Palazzo De La Salle, 219, Republic Street, Valletta. Open from Monday to Friday from 8am to 7pm and Saturdays 9am to 1pm. Entrance is free.