In a crafted world of elevated reality, presence unfolds as colour, form, and structure converge. Figures linger in introspective stillness, landscapes dissolve into ethereal space, and every gesture and hue invites contemplation. The longevity achieved here is not one brought on by narrative, but through a measured balance between harmony and tension, realised through Mediterranean light. In this suspended space, the viewer is drawn into the dialogue of perception, caught between the temporal and the timeless.
The latest exhibition at The Phoenicia Malta, Oltre La Luce / Beyond the Light, brings together two Italian artists with over a decade of exhibition experience, presenting their work for the first time within a Maltese context. Curated by Prof. Charlene Vella, the exhibition marks a cultural collaboration with Galleria Quam in Sicily, where a Maltese artist is currently being exhibited, establishing a reciprocal exchange between the two cultures. This collaboration offers Maltese audiences a rare opportunity to engage with, and acquire, works by artists already internationally recognised.
Federico Severino, Atmosfere 2
Simone Geraci (b. 1985, Palermo) trained in painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Palermo, where he also completed a specialist diploma in graphic art. Building on this foundation, he has served since 2015 as artistic director of the Palermo-based publishing house Il Palindromo. Shaped by sustained study of classical painting and printmaking techniques, his practice has been recognised through multiple awards and finalist selections over the past two decades, as well as an artist residency in Domodossola in 2019.
Geraci's work balances a duality of restraint and openness, placing figures in a suspended state of introspection. He comments that these timeless spaces, enclosed within circular geometric form, detach the figures from the material world and intensify the interiority of thought. Monochromatic palettes of delicate pigments amplify this spiritual presence, while the gestures of hands and bodies turning inward reflect a contemplative absorption. This is particularly evident in works such as Echos 1 and Echos 2, together with the contrasting colour schemes for the intertwined hands displayed above them. In this quiet interplay, the works stage a controlled encounter between sensation and introspection.
Simone Geraci, Wir, Wir 2 (top); Echos 1, Echos 2 (bottom)
Exhibiting alongside Geraci is Federico Severino (b. 1990, Milan), who graduated with a degree in painting from the Academy of Fine Arts in Catania and maintains an active practice between Catania and Turin. He has received numerous awards and finalist recognitions, and has participated in workshops and two residencies, one in Milan and another in Caramanico Terme, over the past decade.
Severino approaches the landscape as an expansive, imaginative field of space and colour, untethered from any identifiable location. The work unfolds through accumulation rather than composition, where subtle shifts in layered tones generate a sense of depth and distance. This process is tied to duration and material repetition, where the act of layering produces a measured and attentive rhythm. In large-scale works such as Sospiri di rosso e azzurro, the refined subtlety of this technique comes fully into view. This is further made apparent with the use of the pastel medium together with oil, as can be seen in Atmosfere 2, where each mark requires physical pressure to assert itself, even as it dissolves into the surrounding field. The resulting surface holds a delicate balance between intention and instinct, where colour and matter remain in constant negotiation. As Severino notes, the challenge lies in translating an internal rhythm into a tangible form, drawing from nature while allowing the work to exceed it.
The pairing of these two artists rests on a shared concern with introspection, approached through opposing visual strategies. Where Geraci isolates the figure within controlled, geometric confines, Severino allows space to expand into atmosphere, dissolving form into colour. Their dialogue between figure, landscape, and the space they inhabit transforms the pictorial surface into an ethereal realm. This duality, both visual and material, creates a layered environment in which the viewer can either engage with the aesthetic surface or reflect on the slower, more contemplative rhythm the works sustain. Central to this experience is the distinctive properties of Mediterranean light, from which the exhibition takes its name. This animated light is not merely an illuminant but a force that delineates forms, modulates colour, and suspends the figures and landscapes in a liminal space of perception. A quiet, vibrant stillness runs throughout, yet the works remain open, inviting prolonged viewing rather than turning inward.
This dialogue extends into the physical arrangement of the exhibition. Works alternate between moments of isolation and points of integration, allowing each artist to be experienced independently or in meditative dialogue. The resulting tension and harmony translate the paintings' two-dimensional conversation into a three-dimensional spatial experience, creating a rhythm that is felt and returned with each encounter.
By bringing Italian contemporary art directly to Maltese audiences, the exhibition offers a rare opportunity to experience international practices first-hand. Reflected in the circulation and acquisition of these works abroad, it highlights the value of sustained artistic encounters, encouraging reflection on the connections between place, practice, and perception. This underscores Malta's position as an active participant in the dynamic Mediterranean artistic network, demonstrating how local audiences can engage with international contemporary art in a meaningful and lasting manner.
Oltre La Luce / Beyond the Light, curated by Prof. Vella in collaboration with Galleria Quam, is open to the public until 29 April at the Palm Court Lounge, The Phoenicia Malta.