The Art Discussion Group (ADG) will be holding its next meeting on Tuesday in Qrendi. Addressing members and other guests will be the Times of Malta photographer Matthew Mirabelli.
The press photographer and photo journalist will discuss his work, vision and concept and will give a power-point presentation of his collection of photography recording his recent visit to Guizhou, China.
This vast collection is dominated by a captivating shot of a father and son (right). The latter is sound asleep on his father’s shoulder oblivious of the dizzy heights of Mount Fanjing and the world around him, while his father is fixing a padlock to a chain for good fortune.
Mirabelli loves portraiture, character study and the universal language of physiognomy, body movement, hands and finger studies.
His images vary from a daughter who fails to capture her mother’s attention; the narcissism in a frontal image of a proud mother and her child; a painter caught drawing with rapt and absorbed concentration in his work; musicians in costume and portraits of common people shining with dignity.
Mirabelli began his career at the age of 20 as a full-time photographer with Heritage Studies in Sliema. After one year working in the studio, he followed his dream to work as a full-time press photographer with The People newspaper, moving on to The Malta Independent shortly after, where he worked until 2001.
In 1999, he won the Malta Journalism Award for press photography and two years later decided to leave the island to travel to Australia where he worked as a freelancer. On his return in 2002, he spent three years freelancing before joining the Times of Malta, winning the 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2011 Malta Journalism Award for Sports Photography and the Malta Journalism Award for Press Photography in 2010 and 2011.
Mirabelli has covered major local and foreign assignments and is AFP’s (Agence France Presse) stringer photographer in Malta.
The event is being held on Tuesday at 7.30pm at St Mary’s Band Club in Qrendi (near parish church).
Meanwhile, Matthew Mirabelli’s work is on display as part of an Inspired in China collective exhibition at the Parliament building, Valletta, until February 28. For more information, visit www.adgmalta.webs.com.