The Polverista (gunpowder magazine), adjacent to the annex at St James’s Counterguard (Central Bank) in Valletta has been converted into an art gallery, a permanent space set up exclusively for the promotion of British artist Victor Pasmore.
Those responsible for this claim that Pasmore represents Maltese heritage, though neither do we possess a collection of his work nor does his work represents any Maltese aspect. All the works are on loan, partially by the Marlborough Gallery and the rest by the family. Therefore there is neither heritage nor patrimony.
Some keep insisting that during his residency in Malta Pasmore had a kind of open house for artists to gather and discuss art. This is false. Victor Pasmore lived a secluded life in Malta with his wife Wendy where he had the occasional meeting with a couple of local friends, most often at the British Hotel in Valletta.
Pasmore came to Malta at the age of retirement when Malta was a popular destination for many British expats. Malta offered many convenient reasons then: cheap cost of living, inexpensive property, good weather and the English language. Pasmore chose Gudja for various reasons, including the proximity to the airport since he needed to travel to see to his concerns outside Malta, mainly the Marlborough Gallery and the 2RC workshops in Rome.
When Pasmore was asked by a British journalist if Malta had any influence on his art he invariably answered without hesitation that Malta had no influence at all on his art. Such statements are well documented.
Pasmore’s works do not belong to a specific place nor time. He was not concerned with the local history or local themes. His abstract compositions explicitly defy locations and tangible themes. When one says that his works have Maltese connotations one shows incompetence. It is simply an offence to the artist’s intentions.
In 2012 the Victor Pasmore Foundation was set up and like any foundation it was supposed to promote and support art programmes. However, no such activity ever took place until it was taken over by the Central Bank and later by Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti.
Much effort and money has been dedicated to promote the works of Pasmore. The Marlborough gallery as well as the Pasmore family is benefitting gratuitously. It is hard to believe that the first time that the Malta Central Bank has set up a contemporary art gallery, it is entirely and exclusively dedicated to a British artist.
If the Central Bank as well as Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti are so genuinely concerned with promoting Maltese heritage, they should have promoted the Maltese artists who devoted their entire career to Maltese art and their citizens.
These artists have dedicated their lives to teaching while contributing to the local art scene despite limitations. Their art stems from our heritage and history. A prime example is Antoine Camilleri, a generous artist, a champion whose expression is unique, revealing to us the multifaceted aspects of Maltese life.
Others come to mind: Frank Portelli, Anton Agius, Emvin Cremona. Do these Maltese artists deserve the privilege of occupying space at the annex galley of the Central Bank of Malta?