Fifteen paintings by expressionist painter James Vella Clark are being exhibited at Lazuli Art Gallery in Victoria.

The exhibition, themed Divergence, will remain open to the public up to March 25.

This is Mr Vella Clark’s first exhibition since his last solo show in 2012. It is also only his second exhibition in Gozo since 2009.

Through this collection of works, the artist is showing how his landscapes are constantly assuming a more abstract dimension.

The earliest piece in this collection is from 2008 and features Xwejni Bay in Gozo with the latest works completed over these past weeks.

“I chose the theme Divergence because of the way I am consciously moving away from my earlier style and way of interpreting the landscape, to a more minimalist expression.

“I look at my artistic career as a constant journey of discovery and personal evolution.

“However, my roots remain firmly set in the Mediterranean colours, the symbolic cypress and palm trees, the village skylines and the perennial church domes dominating the landscape,” said the artist.

Charlotte Lombard, owner and curator of Lazuli Art Gallery, said: “James is one of the first artists I discovered when I moved to Malta.

“The quality of his work struck me immediately. His very personal and contemporary approach to capturing the local landscape, his palette of vibrant contrasts and light, and his interpretation of detail, resonate with me and my perception of the Mediterranean architecture and environment.

“I value the fact that his art is permanently in movement, searching, exploring and evolving towards the abstract. And I am delighted that he has accepted my invitation to be the first Maltese artist to show his work at Lazuli Art Gallery.”

Lazuli Art is a new art gallery in the heart of Victoria, located on Palm Street just a short distance from St George Square.

The gallery opened in 2016, showcasing distinctive and original metal work from four different countries.

The ethos of Lazuli Art is the commitment to fair trade and the celebration of cultural diversity and integration.

With each new season Lazuli Art introduces a new medium and present fair trade art work by artists making waves in their profession and once a year, it plans to showcase the work of one Maltese artist.

Born in 1975, Mr Vella Clark is one of Malta’s main expressionist interpreters of the country’s urban and rural landscape.

Since his first public exhibition in 2001, his works have been gradually gaining a more abstract dimension.

These eventually became part of a natural process that led to his current abstract work.