Lovers of art and culture graduate from School of Art

At the graduation and prize-giving ceremony held recently in the lecture hall of the Malta School of Art, Valletta, on May 4, Education minister Louis Galea said that as the only fine art educational institution in Malta, the school plays a fundamentally important role in the educational and artistic development of the Maltese people.

Dr Galea thanked the tutoring staff for their dedication and the students' for their achievements, adding that the majority of students attended the school after a day at work or in other educational institutions such as sixth forms and the university.

He said that he envisaged the school functioning within a college framework which would include all the expressive arts, and that its courses and activities would function in a wider structure providing more ambitious opportunities.

Joseph M. Micallef, tutor in-charge of School of Art, welcomed Dr Galea's support for the arts and culture in general. He also thanked Anthony Degiovanni, director of Further Studies and Adult Learning, and who is a former student, tutor and head of the school, for his personal interest in the school, and for the co-operation and support provided by the Department of Further Studies.

He thanked sculptor Ganni Bonnici, president of the school council, who for a number of years had sponsored the special prize for students' expressive work from the life model, remarking that, contrary to what some people may believe, life classes had been taking place for a many years.

Other sponsors included Vee Gee Bee, Valletta, who also donated a set of art books on techniques and processes, Merlin Library, Blata l-Bajda, and Best Print, Qrendi.

Mr Micallef congratulated all prize-winners and diploma holders, and thanked the distinguished guests and ex-students. These included veteran artist George Fenech, who along with sculptor Ganni Bonnici, knew their initiation in artistic studies at the school, an experience shared also by most of the present teaching staff such as Joe Casha, Joe Mallia, Alfred Caruana Ruggier, Anton Grech, Tony Sciberras, Alfred Portelli, Carmel Camilleri, Frans Cassar, Pierre Mifsud.

He stated that the prize-giving event should be regarded as a sign of appreciation towards all students who have the love of art and culture in their blood. He remarked that a number of them had also attended the summer course in Art Enrichment and Creativity that the school had held for the first time between July and September last year and which was being repeated this summer.

Mr Micallef also praised Kenneth Gauci Borda's initiative that led to the school's students participating in the Notte Bianca event by taking up easels in upper Republic Street and drawing and painting throughout that night.

He congratulated students attending the school, who, on their own initiative, had taken part in various artistic activities during this scholastic year. These included Joe Bugeja, Jenifer Lonfat, Martin Bezzina Wettinger, Ray Axiaq, Margaret Farrugia, Anton Farrugia, Doreen Buttigieg and Alison Camilleri, who ventured in personal and collective exhibitions at national level.

Guests attending the graduation ceremony were also treated to poetry by Leslie Vassallo and Alfred Caruana Ruggier, and an IT presentation Entitled 'Beyond the self-portrait'. This was complemented by an exhibition of self-portraiture by students in the school's foyer.

Mr Degiovanni, presented the Diploma in Fine Arts to Mary Rose Gauci. Isabelle Church received a special prize for making good use of the school's library, while Joyce Borg and Annabel Cordina were awarded the director general's prize for their artistic achievement in print-making.

The school council's prize was given to Omar Azzopardi for his progress in drawing and painting, Robert De Carlo received the prize for his expressive studies from the life model, Karen Caruana, Michelle Galea, Walter Camilleri, Stephen Borg, and Marlene Grech were rewarded for their artistic achievements, and Paul Camilleri was awarded the Minister's prize for his expressive (creative) experimentation in wood sculpture.