The Salesians of Don Bosco in Malta, will be organising an art exhibition of paintings entitled Glorious Gozo: Artists of our Times in aid of the boys of St Patrick’s Salesian School, Sliema, where the Salesians of Don Bosco cater for children in difficulty. The exhibition will be under the patronage of the Ministry for Gozo and it will be held from 6 to 13 July at the Malta Hilton. The Minister for Gozo, Giovanna Debono will officially open the exhibition on Friday 6 July.
The main aim behind this exhibition is to promote Gozo and to offer both locals and foreigners the beauty and charm of this island. Another aim is to raise awareness for the need of a contemporary art museum featuring artists who painted Gozo.
In fact, Gozo lacks a picture gallery of contemporary art. Such an initiative will be greatly appreciated by tourists and locals. This exhibition will undoubtedly help us reinforce and deepen our love of Gozo for its beauties and values. It will also make us aware of the dangers of possible contamination and arouse a sense of protection from change and the fever of modern days.
Gozo should always remain as it is and thus provide opportunities for finding emotional nourishment, peace, rest and stir the right human qualities, which create the right equilibrium in the conditions of life. Yet, there are strong, ever present daily pressures that tend to erode the quality of life in our charming island. Sometimes we may tend to lose the meaning and beauty of small and simple things.
Gian Pietro Francesco Agius De Soldanis (1712-1770) in his manuscript l Gozo, antico-moderno, sacro-profano, isola Mediterranean adiacente a Malta Africana, wrote: “…and this island of Gozo is abundantly fertile and richly adorned, God really singled it out and showered it with his gifts… you have seen it, and you must certainly admit that this is a very favoured island”.
The organising committee has selected 80 well-known artists from Malta, Gozo and abroad who submitted a total of 170 paintings. Every participant will be awarded a recognition certificate. All works will be sold in aid of St Patrick’s Salesian School.
A full-colour catalogue with photos and details of all participating works and artists will be published. This catalogue will include a study by Marquis Nicholas De Piro about Artists who Painted Gozo. After the official opening of the exhibition, a dinner will be organised at the Malta Hilton, for artists and friends.
Faber Castell Art competition for upcoming artists
This year, AF Enterprises in collaboration with The Salesians of Don Bosco have organised a national Faber-Castell Art Competition for non-established artists. This competition was divided into two categories, one for ages 13 to 17 and the second category for ages 18 to 25. The winners (three from each category), who will be presented with an exclusive box of Faber-Castell art materials, are also being given the opportunity to exhibit their works, together with a number of established artists, at the Hilton Malta during the exhibition. This competition has been promoted directly in various secondary schools from Malta and Gozo, the University of Malta, MCAST, art studios, via internet and also on the media. Over 140 entries have been received in all and it was a very hard task for the panel of judges to pick the winning entries. All participants will be receiving a merit certificate for their contribution.