Bank of Valletta’s 15th Retrospective Exhibition will feature works by Luciano Micallef and will be the first retrospective exhibition to be held at the new BOV Centre in Santa Venera. The exhibition will be inaugurated on the 28 June by HE Edward Fenech Adami, President of Malta and by BOV Chairman, Roderick Chalmers.

The exhibition embraces 65 works, from the earliest work - Female profile - of 1966 to four pieces, including two sculptures, which the artist created in 2005. As for media and techniques, these range from oils, acrylics, gouache and pastels, to etchings, lino prints, screen printing and to the use of copper, stainless steel and plastic.

Born in 1954, Luciano Micallef is widely considered as one of the foremost products of his generation in Malta’s artistic scene. When still very young he received private tuition from the well-known artist Joseph Briffa, and from Harry Alden and Esprit Barthet at the School of Art.

He travelled to Barcelona in Spain where he worked in textile design.

He also studied at the Accademia Pietro Vanucci in Perugia (1975), followed by a further four years (1979-1983) at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence.

“We are looking forward to this assertive exhibition which promises once again to be a success,” said Maurice de Giorgio, Chairman of BOV’s Art Exhibitions Committee. “The BOV Retrospective Exhibitions have developed and evolved into established bi-annual events that pay tribute to Malta’s leading artists and promote their artistic talent and accomplishments,” he added. “Luciano Micallef is nowadays best known as an abstract artist even though his initial work was much more inclined towards the figurative.

The way his art has progressed and developed into an intriguing and unique form of art will be the focus of this retrospective that will span the artist’s 40 year career,” concluded Maurice de Giorgio. Luciano Micallef’s exhibition will be open for the public from 30 June to 11 August.

As in previous retrospective exhibitions, this show will be accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue that will include an artist’s biography, a critical synopsis of his works and a reproduction of all the exhibits.