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maltatoday | SUNDAY • 12 DECEMBER 2021 14 COMMERCIAL Malta Photographic Society exhibition at the Malta Society of Arts CareMalta Group launches ZVART initiative at Casa Apap Bologna THE 56th edition of the Na- tional Competition and Exhi- bition of Photography, which is or-ganised annually by the Mal- ta Photographic Society, opens on Friday 10 December 2021 at the Malta Society of Arts' (MSA) seat Palazzo de La Salle in Valletta. This yearly appointment, the only one of its kind on our is- lands, attracts a large num- ber of local photographers who submit their best works to compete for the honours awarded by the Malta Photo- graphic Society. The works with the highest artistic quali- ties are then dis-played as part of the prestigious exhibition that year after year attracts nu- merous visitors. Through this event, the Mal- ta Photographic Society offers the opportunity to its members and others who practice this form of art to have their works exhibited; something that is not always easy to do on an in- dividual basis. The Malta Photographic So- ciety's work never stops when it comes to offering exhibition spaces to photographers, put- ting them on par with other artists in other art forms, giv- ing photography the promi- nence it deserves. This year saw a record num- ber of submissions for the photographic competition. In total, 81 photographers sub- mitted 720 photos. From these, the jury chose the best works to be exhibited at Palazzo de La Salle. Visitors to the MSA's Art Gal- leries will be able to enjoy more than 100 printed and framed photographs, as well as over 150 digital photos displayed on a monitor. As the exhibition has an open theme, the subjects captured by the camera lenses often vary widely and include portraits, nature, architecture, local and international land- scapes, as well as more creative works. All photos were selected by nine members of an expert jury, which had the arduous task of picking the winners in each category and choosing the photos that will form part of the exhibition. As the title suggests, this competition has been taking place for 56 years. The event has become an eagerly awaited yearly appointment not only for the members of the Malta Photographic Society, which this year is celebrating its 60th anniversary, but also for all the amateur and professional pho- tographers who look forward to this yearly event to exhibit their best works. The top works in the four categories of Colour Prints, Monochrome Prints, Colour Project-ed Images and Mon- ochrome Projected Images were awarded Gold, Silver and Bronze medals. Honour- able mentions were also given for quality works that did not make the top three places. Spe- cial awards were also given for the Best Portrait, Best Land- scape, Best Still Life, Best Na- ture, Best Architecture, Best Creative and Best Street Pho- tography works. The 56th National Competi- tion & Exhibition of Photogra- phy 2021 organised by the Mal- ta Pho-tographic Society will be open from Friday 10 December to Thursday 23 December 2021 and from Monday 3 January to Friday 7 January 2022. Open- ing hours are Monday to Fri- day 9am to 7pm, and Satur- days 9am to 2pm. Entrance is free subject to Covid-19 safety measures. An-yone who would like a guide should contact the MPS on info@mpsmalta.com. For more de-tails about the exhibition please visit www. artsmalta.org or www.facebook. com/maltasocietyofarts. HILA (Home to Independence and Limitless Abilities), the spe- cialised care arm of the Care- Malta Group, unveiled a collage mounted on wood comprising ceramic works by its clients and artist Rosella Schembri on December 3, which marks In- ternational Day of People with Disability. This is part of the Vassal- lo Group's Zaren Vasallo Art (ZVART) initiative, launched to celebrate the group's 75th anniversary this year. Com- missioned art pieces have been unveiled at Casa Arkati, Że- jtun Home, Dar il-Madonna tal-Mellieħa, Zammit Clapp Hospital Residential Home, Bormla Home and Casa San Paolo. The Way Forward, complet- ed in August following various discussions and two workshops carried out with Casa Apap Bologna clients and staff, rep- resents the importance of 'the way forward' for communi- ty-based existence. "Each individual is important for the success of the whole group. Each one of us has a contribution to make, be it giv- ing or receiving a unique expe- rience," said the artist at Casa Apap Bologna in Mosta. HILA, which offers a range of specialised services to persons with disability, mental health conditions, ALS and other mo- tor neuron diseases, also oper- ates Dar Bjorn in Qormi and Casal Nuovo in Paola. Schembri added: "I strong- ly believe in empowerment because every person has a unique gift to give. We all need to recognise this gift and en- sure that it is fully utilised, so that the giver can experience the satisfaction of having con- tributed towards the success of the community." The collage is a representa- tion of the important life expe- riences of Casa Apap Bologna clients. Each participant was given the opportunity to ex- press thoughts they are most comfortable with and assisted with creating a representation of that feeling. "The workshops were a good environment where the supply of the materials and tools en- abled the makers to produce pieces of ceramic value and to also experience the therapeutic element that clay gives us all." Schembri's clay experience started in 1994. In 2011, she opened Space for Clay pottery studio, where people can enjoy working with clay. "This medium is versatile and each person can develop at their own pace and objective. I believe that the mind can be inquisitive and creative with clay since the end piece can be further developed or reused."