This year’s edition of New Faces proved to be as successful as in previous years, drawing a capacity attendance for the vernissage last week.

This year, only nine of the applicants won favour with Gallery G’s panel of judges. This was due to the standard of works that were presented.

Nevertheless, the exhibition presentation was strong and featured 110 paintings.

The public loved the works and their presence was testimony to the fact that this exhibition has become established as an annual event with the up-and-coming artists, as well as with established artists and their pupils.

Vickie Tonna, Wilhelmina Fenech Conti and Jackie Magri seem to borrow from each other and tend to have produced works the authorship of which can sometimes be mistaken for the other. Their studies are strong and the potential is all there.

Nicole Diacono was perhaps one of the most accomplished artists participating this year. Her choice of subject is strongly similar to illustrations verging on cartoonist. However, the distorted perspectives and clever use of colour makes for very refreshing and non-traditional work. Nicole will surely

develop in any way she chooses.

Mark Perceval-Maxwell has landed us with a collection of weird and wonderful works. Like Nicole, his work is absolutely non-classical and surrealist in the extreme. Nevertheless, he displays a collection of very attractive paintings, all of which are intricately done and show excellent control of an unusual imagination.

Erika Chircop’s work is precise to the point of photo-realism in some cases. Her portrayal of aircraft and a jeep are photo-perfect and this shows the artist’s ability and control. Her other experimental works are also very attractive and cleanly done.

Once again we are thrilled to see an up and coming artist working “in the school of” an established Maltese artist (I am sure we can call Winston Hassel Maltese by now). Simon Theuma has managed to produce a number of what are clearly, “school of Hassel” watercolours. There seems no question that we will be seeing more of Simon in the coming years.

Jennifer Zammit Sammut and Marketa Brezovska have also managed to produce some interesting work. It is really nice to see a selection of works in which you can physically see the artist improve between one painting and another. And that is what this exhibition is all about – spotting the students with potential and encouraging them to continue in their efforts so that, one day, with a bit of luck and a lot of hard work, they may stand alongside our other Maltese “greats”.

For these reasons Gallery G will continue to mount the New Faces exhibition, particularly as it has won the support of such people as Marco Vella of Attard and Co. Foodstuffs Ltd, Busy Bee, and Bank Of Valletta plc.

New Faces 2007 will be open to the public up to Friday, 23 March. Gallery G’s exhibition halls and gallery shop (No 4, Sir Ugo Mifsud Street, Lija) are open to the public between 9am and 5pm weekdays and 9:30am and 12:30pm on Saturdays.