Four contemporary Gozitan artists will unveil 24 artistic exhibits at the main hall of the European Parliament between March 6 and 9, featuring Gozitan realities and aspirations during an exhibition entitled Embracing Change in Gozo.

An artwork by Anthony Caruana

Rachel Galea, Kris Saliba, Manuel Farrugia and Anthony Caruana have been invited by Maltese MEP and former prime minister Alfred Sant to display six paintings each and provide an opportunity for MEPs and visitors to the European Parliament from EU countries to appreciate the works of artists living on an island at the periphery of Europe.

The Gozitan artists said the fact that they come from a small island on the periphery of the European continent strengthens their resolve to be creative in this opportunity.

“These paintings have been conceived as a tribute to the natural beauty of our island in conjunction with the careful man-made interventions devised throughout the years which gave a distinctive character to the island. It is a cultural heritage we Gozitans cherish in an age in which we are embracing changes at social and infrastructural levels. The paintings are a testimony of what we were and still are; they express the need of salvaging our identity and heritage and the need of finding the right balance with the expectations and demands of contemporaneity,” said Manuel Farrugia.

Dr Sant said: “Their artistic interpretations deserve such a recognition at the European Parliament. They deserve support and appreciation for their creative initiatives. They are making a difference while overcoming the economic and social difficulties arising from the double insularity that Gozo, like other EU islands, suffers from.”

The exhibition will be officially launched by Minister of Gozo Justyne Caruana.