A language of his own

Gozitan artist John Grima is holding an extensive personal show of recent paintings at the Auberge d’Italie, the headquarters of the Malta Tourism Authority, in Valletta.

Titled A Language Within, the exhibition will feature some 44 paintings including small and large abstracts, landscapes and multi-panelled pieces. Moreover, the works vary considerbly in size, and the largest of individual pieces, a work paying homage to the Knights of St John as well as acting as a tribute to the Great Seige of 1565, measures up tp nine and a half feet in width.

This exhibition also includes a large work comprising four horizontal panels - a commission he received from FimBank only last year, and which was loaned especially for this show. It is the first time that this work has been included in an exhibition.

Grima’s work, whether abstract or figurative, betrays his roots. His sense of light and shade is always strong, and his shapes and forms, although bold in size, are never harsh. This same light also imparts viewers with a strong sense of spirituality, but his choice of colour and palette then reveals his temperament and state of mind.

John Grima has held many personal exhibitions in major cities including Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, New York, Paris, London, Beijing and Mannheim as well as a number of exhibitions in Malta and Gozo. His last exhibition, Avenues of Ambiguity, was held at the National Museum of Fine Arts in 2008.

John Grima also works in sculpture, and over the years he has been awarded several prestigious commissions for public pieces including a work titled the Nativity for Ta' Pinu Sanctuary, a sculptural group representing the family found in Nadur, the portals for St George's Basilica, Victoria, a sculpture commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Federation of European Carnival Cities and others still.

A Language Within will be open to the public as of March 13 and will run till April 2. Opening hours: 9 a.m. till 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. The exhibition is accompanied by a 60-page catalogue, including a critical appreciation of the artist’s works by Prof. Richard England.

The exhibition is supported by Bank of Valletta and 1551 wines.

www.johngrima.com