It has always been part of Giuseppe Schembri Bonaci's philosophy to bridge contemporary art with the artistic praxis of past masters. Together with the curatorial management under Nikki Petroni, such link found its manifestation in the actual works presented in the APS Mdina Biennale. Whereas the previous editions showcased the works of Josef Kalleya, Antoine Camilleri, Carmelo Mangion, Esprit Barthet, and Frank Portelli, Toni Pace's late 1950s-1960s metal works were chosen for the 2020 edition of the APS Mdina Biennale. These sculptures responded well to the theme, Regaining a Paradise Lost, in the sense that 20th century metal-industrial culture brought humankind face-to-face with the disaster caused by its distancing from nature.
Quite daringly, Toni Pace was proposing a novel aesthetic language which ran parallel to the endeavours created in different times by the artists Anthony Caro, David Smith, Julio Gonzales, Tony Smith, and others.
The Toni Pace exhibition within the APS Mdina Biennale was beautifully curated by Hannah Dowling.
Photography by Elisa von Brockdorff and Hannah Dowling. Photo credit: APS Mdina Biennale