Culture club
This year the 2008 European Year of Cultural Dialogue is being celebrated with a number of events in Europe and further afield. And naturally Malta is among the participants. In fact the St James Centre For Creativity is very much at the heart of the...
This year the 2008 European Year of Cultural Dialogue is being celebrated with a number of events in Europe and further afield. And naturally Malta is among the participants. In fact the St James Centre For Creativity is very much at the heart of the whole proceedings.
Under the enthusiastic leadership of Tony Attard, the centre has laid out an eclectic calendar of events designed to further cultural communication and diversity in a number of ways. These events are subdivided under the banner of FIVE, the five senses. The official literature distributed to the media at the official press launch last month states: "We experience the world through our five senses. Our sensory experiences connect us with the world and therefore with the rest of humanity - and through these we connect with others."
"Malta occupies a central position at the crossroads of Mediterranean and European cultures. It is proposed to explore some of the influences exchanged between various cultures that have left an impression on Malta."
The year began last month with the press and national launches, plus an edition of the ever-popular Teddy Bear concerts. This month there is another Teddy Bear concert, aimed at the younger members of society. This will take place on March 24.
They are also promising some highly-original events, to be held in - of all places - supermarkets. In keeping with the five senses theme, an exhibit will be set up highlighting the senses of taste and smell in various supermarkets around the islands, as yet another manifestation of the 2008 European Year of Intercultural Dialogue. We reckon this should be one of the more popular events on the calendar. Another happening this month that incorporates the retail sector will focus on the sense of touch. This will feature Egyptian embroidery and take place at Floriana Market on March 30.
There will also be a European Conference on creating opportunities for developing intercultural dialogue. This is a project initiated by the Ministry of Education and the Council of Europe and will involve a wide range of European teachers.
On February 22 the centre threw open its doors in a grand opening of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue. The evening comprised a variety of attractions, including food tasting, dance, music, kids' activities, readings, films, exhibitions and theatre. The organisers were delighted to see that the evening attracted a large crowd of enthusiastic participants.
Along with all this activity, the St James Centre will still find time this month to mount two other important art exhibitions.
One of these being aired - literally - is that of Raphael Vella. The exhibition, titled Reading Cabinets, is made up of a series of drawings that were first exhibited in a one-person show at Modern Art Oxford in 2007. One of the corridors in the lower galleries at St James has been transformed to house a unique display that presents many of the drawings in bright red plan chests with drawers that can be opened by viewers. The exhibition also includes a number of large drawings that were produced after the Oxford showing and are being shown in public for the first time at St James. Another innovative piece on display in this exhibition is one that Mr Vella has titled A Horse For Airing The Gods. It is an impressive four metre tall structure, looking not unlike an outsize clothes-horse. From its different levels hang outsize books, each of which bears a laser-cut title referring to the name of God in a different European language. The exhibition runs throughout March until April 6.
In the upper galleries the late Norwegian artist Olaug Vethal's work is being displayed in a posthumous celebration of her art. This we cover in more detail on page 5. Her exhibition continues throughout this month, closing on March 30.
The theatre scene at St James this month is dominated by Theatrencore's production of In Search Of Simone, which we preview on page 2, and which will play at the theatre-in-the-round from March 14 to 16.
Musically, St James will be as busy as ever, with the ever-popular Lunchtime Concerts across the road at St Catherine's every Sunday at 11. a.m. and Thursday at 12.30 p.m.
So a rather special time at the moment at St James, at the beginning of the 2008 European Year of Cultural Dialogue, in addition to all the usual stuff.
Under the enthusiastic leadership of Tony Attard, the centre has laid out an eclectic calendar of events designed to further cultural communication and diversity in a number of ways. These events are subdivided under the banner of FIVE, the five senses. The official literature distributed to the media at the official press launch last month states: "We experience the world through our five senses. Our sensory experiences connect us with the world and therefore with the rest of humanity - and through these we connect with others."
"Malta occupies a central position at the crossroads of Mediterranean and European cultures. It is proposed to explore some of the influences exchanged between various cultures that have left an impression on Malta."
The year began last month with the press and national launches, plus an edition of the ever-popular Teddy Bear concerts. This month there is another Teddy Bear concert, aimed at the younger members of society. This will take place on March 24.
They are also promising some highly-original events, to be held in - of all places - supermarkets. In keeping with the five senses theme, an exhibit will be set up highlighting the senses of taste and smell in various supermarkets around the islands, as yet another manifestation of the 2008 European Year of Intercultural Dialogue. We reckon this should be one of the more popular events on the calendar. Another happening this month that incorporates the retail sector will focus on the sense of touch. This will feature Egyptian embroidery and take place at Floriana Market on March 30.
There will also be a European Conference on creating opportunities for developing intercultural dialogue. This is a project initiated by the Ministry of Education and the Council of Europe and will involve a wide range of European teachers.
On February 22 the centre threw open its doors in a grand opening of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue. The evening comprised a variety of attractions, including food tasting, dance, music, kids' activities, readings, films, exhibitions and theatre. The organisers were delighted to see that the evening attracted a large crowd of enthusiastic participants.
Along with all this activity, the St James Centre will still find time this month to mount two other important art exhibitions.
One of these being aired - literally - is that of Raphael Vella. The exhibition, titled Reading Cabinets, is made up of a series of drawings that were first exhibited in a one-person show at Modern Art Oxford in 2007. One of the corridors in the lower galleries at St James has been transformed to house a unique display that presents many of the drawings in bright red plan chests with drawers that can be opened by viewers. The exhibition also includes a number of large drawings that were produced after the Oxford showing and are being shown in public for the first time at St James. Another innovative piece on display in this exhibition is one that Mr Vella has titled A Horse For Airing The Gods. It is an impressive four metre tall structure, looking not unlike an outsize clothes-horse. From its different levels hang outsize books, each of which bears a laser-cut title referring to the name of God in a different European language. The exhibition runs throughout March until April 6.
In the upper galleries the late Norwegian artist Olaug Vethal's work is being displayed in a posthumous celebration of her art. This we cover in more detail on page 5. Her exhibition continues throughout this month, closing on March 30.
The theatre scene at St James this month is dominated by Theatrencore's production of In Search Of Simone, which we preview on page 2, and which will play at the theatre-in-the-round from March 14 to 16.
Musically, St James will be as busy as ever, with the ever-popular Lunchtime Concerts across the road at St Catherine's every Sunday at 11. a.m. and Thursday at 12.30 p.m.
So a rather special time at the moment at St James, at the beginning of the 2008 European Year of Cultural Dialogue, in addition to all the usual stuff.