The Department of Art and Art History at the University of Malta are hosting the third edition of the conference titled Dynamics of artistic exchange in the Mediterranean during the Late Medieval and Renaissance Periods. Convened by Associate Professor Prof. Charlene Vella, the conference will take place on Friday, 21 February, at the University of Malta Valletta Campus.

This scholarly event will feature presentations by three graduates in Art History, who will share the collaborative research they have conducted under Prof. Vella's mentorship. Their topics include:

• The Role of the Franciscans in Malta's Artistic Development: An exploration of the Franciscan Order's influence on Maltese art during the specified periods.
• Technical Art History in Maltese Cave Churches: A study focusing on the artistic techniques and materials used in Malta's cave churches, shedding light on their historical and cultural significance.

In addition to the student presentations, the conference is honoured to host esteemed local and international academics who will contribute their expertise:

• Professor Donal Cooper (University of Cambridge): Specialising in Italian Renaissance art, with a focus on Franciscan artistic patronage and the art and culture of Venice.
• Professor Roberto Cobianchi (Università degli Studi di Messina): An expert in religious art and iconography in late medieval and early modern Italy, with a particular interest in the mendicant orders.
• Professor Fabrizio Nevola (University of Exeter): Specialising in the urban, cultural and architectural history of Early Modern Italy, with a focus on street life and digital art history approaches.
• Dr Fabio Linguanti (Polytechnic of Turin and Laboratoire d'Archéologie Médiévale et Moderne en Méditerranée, Aix-Marseille Université): An Italian architectural historian whose research primarily focuses on medieval architecture in Sicily, southern Italy and Normandy.
• Dr Martina Caruana (director of MCAST's Institute for the Creative Arts): A graduate in History of Art and Music, holding an MA in Art History from the University of Malta with a specialisation in illuminated manuscripts in Malta, and a PhD from the Sorbonne Paris IV.

The conference will cover a diverse range of topics, from cave churches and illuminated manuscripts to a focus on artworks by Giovanni Bellini and Antonello da Messina. This gathering aims to foster a deeper understanding of the intricate artistic exchanges that occurred in the Mediterranean basin during the Medieval and Renaissance periods. Discussions will include hypothetical reconstructions of artworks and buildings that have significantly changed over the centuries.

Given Malta's central position in the Mediterranean and its rich history as a crossroads of cultural and artistic exchange, the University of Malta is an ideal venue for this conference.

The event is open to the public.

For further details and registration information, please contact the Department of Art and Art History at the University of Malta or Prof Vella on [email protected]