A Polish art collector who wants to leave his priceless collection for permanent exhibition in Malta has called on the government to “hurry up” and take him up on the offer.

We’ve had well over a dozen entities interested in housing the collection

Zdzislaw Bieganski is determined to entrust the government with his lifelong collection, on one condition: that the government finds a suitable space where to house and exhibit the artwork.

The 2,000-piece collection includes works by Pablo Picasso, Vincent Van Gogh, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Oskar Kokoschka among others, as well as multiple Maltese artists.

But Mr Bieganski, 91, told The Times he was growing impatient. “I am 91 years old. If the government is interested, I’m available. But if they’re not, I don’t want them wasting my time. I don’t have time to waste.”

A Culture Ministry spokesman has confirmed that discussions between the two parties are ongoing but declined to comment further, saying talks were “still at a very early stage”.

If the parties fail to reach an agreement, Mr Bieganski has indicated he intends to turn to the private sector. “But I’d prefer to have the collection housed by the government. It would make it more accessible to the public and schoolchildren in particular.”

The Polish engineering tycoon-cum-art collector wants the exhibited collection to serve as a platform to educate and inspire Maltese youth, explained Bieganski Foundation curator Ryan Pillow.

“We envision a space with lecture halls and direct access to established artists who can provide aspiring artists with proper guidance,” Mr Pillow said.

Mr Bieganski’s decision to leave his collection to be permanently exhibited in Malta was broken by The Times some weeks ago.

The news spread quickly and Mr Pillow said the foundation had been inundated with phone calls since then.

Mr Pillow said Mr Bieganski is itching to transfer his entire collection to the foundation’s trust. “All we need is a finalised location,” he said.

“We’ve had well over a dozen offers from private entities interested in housing the collection. There have also been phone calls from prominent individuals asking to view the collection.

“The response has been incredible.”

Peeking into the treasure chest

Nestled within the heart of one of Malta’s industrial estates lies an inconspicuous factory with an iron gate and rust-tipped window frames,holding roughly one-third of the 2,000-piece collection that Zdzislaw Bieganski has amassed over a lifetime of collecting art.

One airy room is dedicated almost entirely to Gabriel Caruana, with paintings, ceramics and sculptures dating from the mid-1970s to the present day all vying for attention.

Further afield is The Impressionist Hall with framed paintings, some in need of restoration, hanging in close proximity. In an adjacent room, one can trace George Large’s stylistic evolution through a series of paintings lying next to one another.

The sheer volume of art condensed into the floor space is impressive.

When one realises this is just a third of the collection, the mind boggles.

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