Witches, astronauts, saints and burly men are the protagonists of a collective exhibition that places works by established and lesser known artists alongside each other. Veronica Stivala has not yet managed to figure out who all the portraits represent, but she does know that the witches really do exist.

Adoration of the Cross, by Kenneth Zammit Tabona.Adoration of the Cross, by Kenneth Zammit Tabona.

From witches to astronauts to saints and burly men on penny-farthings, a new art exhibition is displaying an eclectically varied selection of people – real and not, from the sacred to the profane. Appropriately titled Xebgħa Nies (Many People), the collective exhibition does indeed bring together many folks – many artists and their many portraits.

What is interesting about this exhibition is that it places well-known artists alongside newer ones. Thus we will be seeing stalwarts on the local art scene Debbie Caruana Dingli, Andrew Diacono, Kenneth Zammit Tabona, Steve Bonello, Paul Scerri, Marisa Attard and Saviour Baldacchino exhibit alongside perhaps lesser known names such as Mark Scicluna and Moira Zahra. Curator Fabrizio Mifsud Soler explains how this will serve for more established artists to usher in, so to speak, younger ones who they believe have the talent and should be noticed.

That said, although artists like Attard and Scicluna have never exhibited before, they are not new to the scene. Some people will be familiar with their A Space Boy Dream comic, which follows the bespectacled 23-year-old Vincent and his mundane life in Malta, as he struggles to make it big as a fine artist. The comic, which was a light-hearted satire of the hipster culture, where the artists poke fun at themselves and the people around them, had quite a cult following.

The younger ones are extremely talented and I got to see things from a fresh perspective

The general subject of Xebgħa Nies is portraiture. However, what can be expected is a unique take on an assorted set of interesting characters. From the man enjoying a pastizz and sips of Kinnie, to the mustachioed twins and everyone in between, you definitely won’t resist falling in love with this lot.

Pastizz, by Marisa Attard.Pastizz, by Marisa Attard.

There appears to be a Maltese strain in the works chosen, but Mifsud Soler admits that: “Although we had initially toyed with the idea of giving the exhibition a Maltese flavour, we ended up dropping it due to the fact that not all artists were comfortable with warping their vision to accommodate the idea.”

That said, works by artists such as Scicluna still are heavily influenced by Maltese culture. Scicluna explains:

“I focused on a mixture of traditional and contemporary Maltese culture, a common theme in my work. I was also inspired by early 1900s circus performers and as an art genre I would say my work is a combination of pop and art nouveau posters.”

Scicluna usually works in digital art and found it fun to go back to the traditional drawing board. He used pages from an old drawing book to draw on because he wanted the works to have an authentic retro feel, and although this meant being extra careful with certain coloured inks, it was worth it in the end.

It-Tewmin tal-Mużew, by Mark Scicluna.It-Tewmin tal-Mużew, by Mark Scicluna.

Also noteworthy about this exhibition is that the works were produced specifically for it within a very short span of time. Although the idea for this collective exhibition is the brainchild of Caruana Dingli and Diacono, as curator, Mifsud Soler was left with the final say on choice of works.

Mifsud Soler, who has worked on projects with the National Museum of Fine Arts, the Malta Arts Festival, the Valletta 2018 Foundation and the British Council, in shows in Milan, Washington DC, Denmark and China and with big names such as David Hockney, Lucian Freud and Chris Ofili, confides that this may sound easier than it was, precisely because the works were produced in such a short time frame.

“Caruana Dingli and Diacono eventually rounded up a small nucleus of artists who, in turn, suggested more names. I was called in after the participants and theme had been selected, although admittedly it took a while longer for the exhibition to settle into its present state.”

Speaking about the works she will be exhibiting, Caruana Dingli reveals hers are rather dark cartoons painted in oils. Look out for a large scene in hospital, by the bedside of a weak, bird-like 100-year-old lady who is barely alive. The occasion is one big photo opportunity for a minister and his cronies, and also for her family who are thrilled to be on TV.

A recurring theme in some of the others is ‘three witches’. Each week Caruana Dingli paints a portrait from life with her two good friends, Celia and Francesca. “We are known as The Three Witches, by unkind family members,” she adds.

Caruana Dingli explains how most of the artists she is collaborating with are very good friends. “It has been a real experience to get to know the others, especially as we all share a similar sense of humour,” she notes.

On the issue of working with new talent she says: “The younger ones are extremely talented and I got to see things from a fresh perspective. When it comes to technology, we sit there blankly like a group of old dinosaurs and let them tackle that side of things. Their excitement at exhibiting in public for the first time is tangible and rubs off onto the rest of us. I’m proud and happy to be there with them all.”

Xebgħa Nies runs at St James Cavalier, Valletta from Friday to March 30.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.