Debbie Caruana Dingli is one of Malta's most prominent contemporary artists, and the protagonist of Bank of Valletta's 23rd Retrospective Art Exhibition The internal street of BOV Centre will be transformed into a gallery showcasing a cross-section of her works, spanning three decades of experimentation with colour and emotion. 

The exhibition will be inaugurated on the 15th June by President Marie-Louise Coleiro-Preca, and will be open to the general public from the 16th June up to the 31st July.

A few days prior to the inauguration, Kenneth Micallef Head CEO Office at Bank of Valletta met the artist at her studio in the quaint peaceful village of Siggiewi.

Born in 1962, Debbie represents the fourth generation of artists in her family. She graduated from the government school of art in 1980, and later was awarded a diploma in Cartooning by the International Correspondence School in the UK.  Ever since she discovered them, Caruana Dingli remained passionate about watercolours, using a vibrant palette to reveal raw emotions in her stark portraits. Her cartoons are also unique - in their simplicity, they reveal Debbie's satiric side as she puts a mirror in front of the complacency of our society, unafraid to delve into issues like illegal immigration and child obesity.

Whatever the medium, humanity takes centre stage in Debbie's work. In fact this is a point she feels very strongly about. "I want people to get back in touch with their humanity. When I get a reaction from people, I am happy, because it means they are  rekindling that connection."

Speaking about the bank's objective in organizing these annual exhibitions, Kenneth Micallef explained that, "At Bank of Valletta, we are very proud about our role to promote artistic awareness and recognize the talent of our peers. From the very first exhibition held in Tagliaferro Centre in Sliema, the BOV Art Committee has sought to pay a tribute to renowned artists that have made a name not only for themselves but also for our country."

Kenneth made reference to the recent sad loss of the Committee Chairman Maurice de Giorgio, who "had been working on this very exhibition until merely a few days before he passed away." "Mr de Giorgio was a true gentleman with a passion for our rich culture - he has entrusted us with a legacy that we are bound to treasure and take forward."