The Gozitan Art Scene
…there’s probably more of it than you think! Very often, Gozo comes up in conversations about weekend getaways and countryside retreats. Yet the island is home to some of the Maltese Islands’ most formidable contemporary artists, public art pieces and eclectic art spaces. Great things going on in Gozo and just as great to see that many members of the Gozitan art community are also part of ARTZ ID.
Artists
Mario’s work investigates whether working from his current location “is a curse or a godsend.” He uses painting, drawing, collage, video and sound that depart from the metaphysical, anthropological theories and history and become explorations into fantastic worlds. In addition to having been exhibited both locally and internationally, Mario is the creator of the series COVID-EO OF A THOUGHT, a series that illustrates humanity’s mindset being challenged by the coronavirus pandemic.
Nadur-based Justin Falzon is a practising artist through the mediums of drawing, painting and printmaking. He is greatly interested and inspired by the human figure in his artistic work. He is also a teacher at the Gozo Visual and Performing Arts school. Justin’s work has been seen in several exhibitions locally and abroad, including in Florence and London.
On top of being a practising artist visible on the local scene since the late 1990’s, Mario Cassar is a visual art educator. He works across disciplines, including drawing, painting, sculpture, installation, film and photography. Since 2019, he has been involved in the project feelHome, an artistic research intended to interpret how young children in Malta and Palestine conceive notions of house, home and homeland.
Public art
Permanently installed around the island, one can find several art pieces in public spaces, created by established local artists such as Victor Agius, Mario Cassar, Andrew Diacono and Mario Sammut. Although quite prominent and sizeable, there’s a tendency for such works to blend in with their surroundings, yet they are sure to be encountered as a pleasant surprise and open up new ways of considering our shared spaces once they are spotted.
Art spaces
Art e Gallery
Local and foreign artists alike have shown their work at this gallery located in Victoria. While well-known local names such as Richard England, Ray Pitre’, Alfred Chircop, Paul Carbonaro, Austin Camilleri, Justin Falzon, Mark England, John Martin Borg and Andrew Diacono have been regularly exhibited over the years, the gallery also supports emerging talent by providing aspiring artists with a space to show their work.
Arthall Gozo
Also located in Victoria, Arthall shows both local and foreign modern and contemporary art, particularly to audiences who have traditionally not been included in the art scene. Arthall’s mission is to be a space where society can be criticised and where exchange of ideas and discussion can happen. Art in all its forms is welcome in this space, in order to introduce new ways of creating, understanding and expressing our so-called “reality”.
Lazuli Art
…is a fair trade tribal art gallery in Victoria. Here one can buy work made in Haiti, Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso, Madagascar and Mali. Despite its focus on this type of art, however, other forms of contemporary art have been shown here, including abstract landscapes by James Vella Clark and a series of paintings by French artist Patrice Pantin.
The featured people, artworks and places present by no means an exhaustive list. There’s plenty more high-quality work being done by passionate people that deserves recognition. Next time you’re in Gozo, make sure to drop by one of these spaces and to look out for works of art hiding in plain sight. Support your local artist community!
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