The Gozo Ministry Exhibition Hall is bursting with energy, colours and creativity as students from the Gozo College Boys’ Secondary School, have come together to produce a collective exhibition entitled ‘Roots.’

The exhibition has been organsed by the School’s Art Teachers – Christopher Saliba, Martin Attard and Paul Grech.

These young students ranging from twelve-year-olds to fifteen- year-olds with a teenage perspective of life were driven to exhibit their works with enthusiasm and the lack of inhibition that comes with adolescence.

The use of mixed media is prominent, and as visitors to the exhibition enter the hall they are met by a swirl of colours, from both sculptural works and 2D artworks. Most paintings are more or less the same size, on paper or canvas and have been framed by the students themselves.

There is still the smell of fresh paint from the art pieces, the application of colours is fresh, young and at times naïve. Writing about the exhibition Carmen Sciberras Sultana said tha,t “looking at these works is like looking through a lens into the future of each and every student. Some works, more than others, promote promising young artists who may someday be recognised for their artistic skills.”

“There is a diversity of genres and styles presented, varying from portraits and abstract works to Gozitan landscape interpretations which capture and depict the best angles of the island. A landscape painting is easily missed for a random collage. Different materials and cuttings from photos and pictures amalgamate well with the student’s own painting to create a very unique landscape. Influences by both local and international renowned artists can also be witnessed in these students’ artworks.”

Techniques vary from ink and pencil, to airbrush, watercolour, acrylic and pastels. The few airbrush artworks are very strong and eye-catching for their mastering of details, though one might unjustly not appreciate them enough for not being as free and expressive as other gestural works. These works in particular, create a sharp contrast with the meticulous yet unrestricted dripping of paints on various surfaces. This is reminiscent of Abstract Expressionism and the technique developed by one of its main exponents – Jackson Pollock.

Carmen said that among the sculptures exhibited, visitors can see small and delicate creations in terracotta. Other more prominent sculptures are mostly experimental in concept. “They look very sophisticated despite being structured by materials which the students have collected and recycled by putting them together to create interesting free-standing sculptures that allow the viewer to walk around them.”

Wooden pieces which seem to have been picked up randomly from a carpenter’s workshop are put together in a very balanced manner. Positive and negative spaces create and form interesting shapes and let the viewer’s imagination to roam in a fantasy world. The colours used appear as if they have been applied before the pieces of wood were assembled together. Yet, like a jigsaw puzzle they are fitted in place to generate a magical combination of vibrant and varied shapes.

It is surprising how flourishing young artists in the process of learning can together produce an exhibition of such a good level, Carmen said.

Their Art teachers, Attard Martin, Grech Paul and Christopher Saliba, are behind all this and have been of huge support to them. “No wonder, this helps students to boost their confidence and improve their learning.”

‘Roots’ was inaugurated by the Education Minister, Evarist Bartolo, in the presence of the Gozo Minister Dr. Anton Refalo, the Gozo College Principal Victor Galea and the school headmaster Dr. Frank Abela.

The exhibition remains open to the public until the 23rd of February, oening hours are Weekdays 8.30am-4.30pm.

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