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maltatoday | SUNDAY • 28 JUNE 2020 4 THIS WEEK ART Painter Gabriel Buttigieg returns 'The Beach' onto its native shores, after the titular series debuted in Gdansk, Poland last year. He speaks to TEODOR RELJIC about the primordial Mediterranean undercurrents that inform this latest foray from the prolific young artist A yearning for instinctive longings Could you jog our memory about the 'Beach' series, and its trip to Poland? The Beach started off follow- ing a conversation with Am- bassador of Malta to Poland, Dr John Paul Grech. He had a strong desire to fortify the connection that exists between both countries, both of which enjoy a familiarity and intima- cy with the sea, albeit in differ- ent ways. I employed large-scale paint- ings with a Mediterranean feel, to transmit the heat of the is- lands onto a colder context, with the idea that both Mal- ta and Gdansk serve as ports. It was an amazing journey, wherein I was supported by a number of individuals who were pitching in, such as Prof. Vince Briffa, who guided me in my artistic enterprise, Sa- rah Farrugia, who handled the administrative and managerial part of the work, and impor- tant people in my life who were always there, so that this work could see the light of day. How- ever, this trip to Poland would not have been possible with the invaluable support and funding by the Arts Council Malta. What kind of reaction did you get when you exhibited the work in Gdansk? And how does it feel to finally be bringing The Beach back to its native shores? The Beach series started off from archaic and primitive roots, which exude a determin- istic, visual spectacle. These works transmit my fascination towards the tribal, which I nat- urally include in my work, both on an artistic and an intellec- tual level. Hence, my work is grounded in the psychological, the literary, and the spiritual. Midway through the series, there was a shift to a dark- er space. These dark demons probably arose as a reaction both to the space in which the paintings were to be exhibited, and my roots, on a personal and a cultural level. The Mediterranean element is felt throughout, as is the frantic and turbulent pace of the work, with an undertone of sensuality and fragility – all universal human concerns. Mediterranean themes include the allegory of the nymphs, the local landscape, and the sea, which I have a tendency of returning to, which are all part of the Maltese ecology. It will be interesting to see this collection reunited. I will be curious to see the reaction to the paintings in a Maltese con- text, especially with respect to the visual impact of the phal- lic works, which in Poland was very well-received. Your work is both figurative and symbolic, with this col- lection in particular being rich in ritualistic potency. How do you reconcile the two, and do you think there is something particularly 'Maltese' about it? I would not hazard to say it has a "Maltese" theme. I have always felt myself to be a uni- versal being. However, from the local context, I have defi- nitely absorbed the huge im- pact of the sea and the fact that Malta is an island, hence the sense of isolation. Yet, I consider this to be a universal theme, found in all cultures. I am greatly attracted to the Eu- ropean and the tribal, which gives my work a more universal feel, as the artist is always ea- ger to research and learn from other cultures. The metaphori- cal and physical love I have al- ways felt for the sea is evident in my work. I have always tried to adopt existential, determin- istic, and liberating symbols, which at the same time emit cynicism and isolation, in the context of the sea, to create a human multi-layered narrative. This I have done as a reaction to societal impositions, as a mocking comment towards the universe, as a turning towards primordial wishes, and as a "I will be curious to see the reaction to the paintings in a Maltese context, especially with respect to the visual impact of the phallic works, which in Poland was very well-received" Gabriel Buttigieg. Photo by Clint Scerri Harkins