On the invitation of the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry, the Farsons Modern Art Collection was on show at the iconic and architecturally-significant Exchange Building, popularly known by its Italian name as the Borsa. The collection boasted works by some of the key artists of the Maltese modern and contemporary art scene.
Farsons Group’s interest in local art began in the late 1920s, when Edward Caruana Dingli was asked to design beer labels. The rest, as they say, is history, but what a remarkable history it is.
In it, the keen eye of art lovers within the company played an important role. They included the late Edward Sammut, and more recently Arthur Muscat. Muscat is also the author of the exhibition catalogue essay, and the curator of the exhibition.
Through the collection, Farsons holds a “part of Malta’s artistic heritage”, especially that of post-war Maltese art, as Louis Farrugia, chairman of Simonds Farsons Cisk plc, writes in his foreword in the full catalogue that accompanied the exhibition.
The setting up of this kind of exhibition is praiseworthy, for it gives the public a unique opportunity to be made aware of, and come into direct contact with, works by some of our more renowned artists.
From decades of art collecting, we are here being presented with prestigious works. The exhibition is composed of 26 works by 16 artists. Although it can be said that the paintings reflect the personal taste of those responsible for purchasing them, it is immediately clear that they were artistically well-informed.
The earliest dated work is Caruana Dingli’s St Paul’s Bay, Tal-Għasselin – an expressive watercolour of an agitated seascape executed with great confidence and skill.
It is the 1960s that are then represented, with works such as Hugo Carbonaro’s Schooner at Pinto Wharf, Frank Baldacchino’s Abstract Landscape and Emvin Cremona’s Abstract Composition from the broken glass series. These are three works of very different execution and style, but which sum up the 1960s art scene in Malta. This because there is in all a move towards abstraction, towards being less dependent on a representational subject.
The difference in the work of other artists executed in the same decade (which reflects the dichotomy found in Maltese art of the time) can be understood by looking at the forceful watercolour by Giuseppe Arcidiacono Neptune, Palace Courtyard, and the now often overlooked, but seminally important, Joseph M. Borg Xuereb’s Silvery Splash of 1968.
This is again reflected in three works of the late 1970s and early 1980s by Esprit Barthet – Rooftops and two from the same series, Boats IV and Boats III – where basic shapes rule the compositions. And, especially in the boat series, Barthet focuses his energy on line and colour rather than meticulous detail.
Through the collection, Farsons holds a part of Malta’s artistic heritage
One of the greatest late artists of the Maltese Modern Art movement is adequately represented. I am referring to Antoine Camilleri’s three clay and resin on board works which leave a great impact. They are executed in an almost monochrome fashion, but they are very vibrant compositions.
There are also three bold Carmenu Mangion townscapes, and three expressive works by Isabelle Borg, three by Pawl Carbonaro, a Republic Street by Celia Borg Cardona (the palette eerily reminiscent of Mangion’s Msida Church), and a grand and forceful mid-1990s abstract on board by Alfred Chircop.
Three of our more modern conceptual artists are also represented: Norbert Francis Attard, Patrick J. Fenech and Vince Briffa.
This exhibition is not a comprehensive representation of the local modern and contemporary art scene, but it does provide an adequate understanding of the development unfolding. There are works that stand out, and I do have my personal favourites. And I would certainly greatly appreciate being in an environment that provides such visual material to allow your eye to wander on when at work.