Art in the prison

'Escape', an art exhibition featuring some of Malta's well known contemporary artists, will be exhibiting seven contemporary works till June 21, at the Old Prisons of the Citadel, Victoria. This event is sponsored by J. Portelli Projects and supported by the Gozo Cultural Committee.

The artists, selected by Austin Camilleri, organiser and curator of the exhibition, are all members of the art group START and have all exhibited together in the recent past.

Mr Camilleri's main aim was to create an osmosis between the art works and the memory-laden cells a dialogue between artists and generations of prisoners who passed through, left their mark and possibly died in these very cells.

The Prisons' limestone walls, (built by the Knights of St John), are full of carvings representing anything from prisoners' names to outlines of hands and elegant drawings of galleys. There is a sense of real suffering and boredom shown extensively by such graffiti on the walls of the six cells and corridors which combine with the artists' works reflecting frustration, memory, absence and seclusion. This produces the complex environment that Austin Camilleri wished to create; a space that does not offer facile answers to difficult questions.

A sculpture of a swivelling chair similar torture machine is bring presented by Ray Pitrè while Charles Gatt, by means of a juxe box, turns a prison sell into an eerie "entertainment" chamber.

A crucifixion is recreated with Norbert Francis Attard's ceiling-hung digital print, substituting himself for the Messiah. Silent video shots of a deceased cancer victim's home, are shown by Vince Briffa, conveying a feeling of solitude and isolation in the prison.

Raphael Vella's burnt diaries present the burning of 12 years in the life of an individual. By means of a marble slab Pierre Portelli represents the reminiscent of a tomb cover reminding viewers of the absence of so many anonymous people.

Austin Camilleri himself is also participating in the 'Escape' exhibition with vynamold babies whose growth has been stopped short by the strangely-shaped glass vessels that contain them.

Escape presents works that have never been shown on the island, making it very worthwhile to visit. A catalogue produced by Mr Camilleri with photography by Daniel Cilia will also be on sale at the venue throughout the duration of the exhibition.

The exhibition is open every day from 10 a.m. till 4 p.m. Entrance is free.