‘4 Visions’ – an exhibition of visual art by Graham Woodall, Jackie Roberts, Graham Gurr and Maxine Claire Attard is taking place Mondays to Saturdays at Art Academy, 131 Constitution Street, Mosta from Friday 30 April to Saturday 22 May and is sponsored by Marsovin, Art Academy, and Tal Furnar Bar & Restaurant, Gozo. The exhibition will be closed on the public holiday of May the 1st.
This collective exhibition brings together the diverse visions of four artists – three living in Gozo and one in Malta – expressed through a range of media. More than sixty works are on show and for sale from paintings, 3D mixed media structures to conceptual art and metalwork; also affordable designer neckwear in copper and brass. The exhibition will be inaugurated at a Private View on Friday 30 April by H.E. Ms. Louise Stanton, British High Commissioner and Hon. Douglas Kmiec, American Ambassador.
The artists have a wide range of experience, training and very different backgrounds. They have previously exhibited in the Maltese islands and overseas both collectively and as individuals. What they share is an open minded approach to art, craft and design; its expression, and the desire to demonstrate and to inspire independent thought and creativity.
Graham Woodall’s visions are expressed in paintings and 3D structures. Mark making has been a feature in his recent work, especially since his move to Malta. Graham has been fascinated by the wide variety of natural patterns found on the island. The limestone, building shapes and the sea supply a natural source of inspiration for his work.
Graham’s paintings are built up very slowly with deliberate brush strokes, sometimes overlapping previous statements. Shapes observed on journeys around Malta and Gozo are incorporated into a sort of language – or scripture. Horizontal lines carry the pattern across the canvas. Some of the work is slightly figurative but still employs the marks to form the shapes. Colour gradations are used to emphasise form, light and shade.
Jackie Roberts is inspired by the landscapes of her mind and the world around her; symbolism and the fusion of different cultures and traditions. She often incorporates recycled metal, scrap and found material into her work. She enjoys the process of transformation; reincarnating what other people have discarded. Jackie uses various power and hand tools to texture, mark and shape mild and stainless steel, copper and brass. She creates colour using a technique of controlled burning in order to bring out the hues and depth of tone within the metal. Jackie also likes to work with the texture of rust; sometimes even encouraging oxidization, just another aspect of the transitional elements which make up the metal. Occasionally she adds paint to the surface of metal.
In 4 Visions Jackie shows work from her last decade in Gozo: naturalistic marine life; sheet metal worked into abstract and representational pictures; hanging sculptures; owls; masks and mirrors; new visions inspired by a recent trip to New Zealand and funky neckwear in copper and brass.
Graham Gurr’s work is often considered eclectic, covering a range of styles and media, clearly a consequence of his extensive, wide ranging background experience. Graham had primarily a modern training and the conceptual elements in this exhibition reflect this. As a trained illustrator he also produces very realistic pieces; sometimes both approaches come together in works that exhibit a semi-realistic marriage with abstraction.
Graham sees art as a kaleidoscopic view of life, thus allowing himself the vision to create a multifarious range of art works. Often criticised for not working in one style and medium, Graham firmly insists that it is his reaction to the ‘Sausage Machine Approach’ that a rigid outlook tends to promote. He therefore feels comfortable with a panoramic vision and constantly strives to produce originality.
Maxine C. Attard likes to get lost in the paint and carried away with the line. Her images are heavy and light, spiritual and secular. They are also just lines, paint, charcoal, cardboard and wood. It is not up to her to decide what her works are and mean…that is the role of the viewer. She thinks that some people are born with the need to speak but cannot find the words. Instead they paint, sculpt, construct, dance, etc. Maxine feels this same need and that she has her vision to show. But that vision has to be cultivated and made possible through good use of the medium.
For the past year and a half Maxine has been working in the Carmelite Priory Museum in Mdina, Malta, where she produces artwork related to the Baroque Carmelite Church (which forms part of the museum). Her abstract paintings in 4 Visions are inspired by this setting.
Gallery opening hours are: Monday 4.15-7pm; Tuesday 9.15am-12.30pm & 4.15-8.30pm; Wednesday 9.15am -12.30 & 4.15-7pm; Thursday 9.15am -12.30 & 4.15-8pm; Friday 9.15am -12.30 & 4.15-7.30pm; Saturday 9am-3pm.
The Art Academy can be contacted on 21 433 821 or by email to info@artacademymalta.com [1].
The exhibition can be previewed at www.grahamwoodall.com/gallery/4visions [2].