Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1472276
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 3 JULY 2022 6 ART Joseph Paul Cassar Curator of the exhibition AT the Galleries of the Mal- ta Society of Arts, Anthony Spagnol is exhibiting a collec- tion of 20 recent paintings. The context of the works, although abstract in nature, remains the here and now, the current state of affairs in the world we live in, where, whether we like it or not, we have to entertain the idea of permanent uncertainty. More than ever imagined, these works speak of our anx- ieties, loss, the exploration of the power of the unknown, the realisation of how little we truly know of what's to come, and the illusion and unrealistic expecta- tion that we are in control over our future. Anthony Spagnol presents to us his intimate endeavours of how he forged his journey through these canvases, which oftentimes was not made up of looking for clear short-cuts, but rather by meandering about with a feeling of a wanderer. His terrifying embrace of uncertain- ty made him flourish in the end. The artist realised, while work- ing on this collection, that per- sonal growth lies in the wisdom of not knowing what is to come, and the ability to embrace unex- pected opportunities. These paintings reveal how the artist opted to take a few steps, one at a time, which gradually implied a relatively increased ve- locity, until suddenly ambiguity presented itself as an opportu- nity. Anthony Spagnol realised that these unforeseen forces are necessary in the creative process, and he made it his prerogative to investigate these invisible forc- es. Spagnol believes that art has the ability to reveal that which is hidden, rather than simply rendering the visible. Form in these works comes to be when least coherent, most expressive when outwardly most imperfect. The result is a sense of awe and wonder. This collection speaks of the encounter between the artist and his materials, the nothing- ness of the initial blank raw can- vas from where all started, and the decisions and revisions that took place with every gesture, drip, scratch and brush stroke, while keeping reason in check so that the unconscious could run free. A perennial factor in the paint- ings is the theme of light and darkness. The artist sees his role as the one to illuminate in the dark, to ensure that we do not lose sight of purpose in making this world more human and a better dwelling place. The artist is the peace bearer or perhaps the warrior, the challenger who carries these ideas into action, knowing well that there is noth- ing stable or secure under the heavenly skies. His work ranges from the initial chaotic dabs of colour to more calculated strokes and other experimental process- es, seeking a deeper meaning in bringing the entire composition to a coherent whole. Each paint- ing in this collection offers an in- timate encounter, and when ex- perienced together they compile a whole lifetime of fears, doubts, hopes and joys. His artistic commitment cou- pled with an internal meditative silence, comes perhaps from his long professional years in the discipline of conservation and restoration where in scrutinising old paintings, he developed a di- alogue with the sanctity of paint, the careful approach of cleaning away layers of old debris, remov- ing surface grime, dealing with the fragile, flaking painted sur- faces, following the hidden hu- man hand that produced them, and revealing in the end the au- thenticity of the painting, elimi- nating the superfluous to arrive to the very core in bringing it back to life. Such encounters became almost meditative even spiritual to Spagnol, a kind of ritual in a careful process of se- lection and elimination. It is the artist's wish that the viewer who comes to this exhibi- tion experiences in each canvas different perspectives of the cos- mos, fragmentary as these may be, but as a unity nonetheless in their versatility. The artist's harkening need to- wards a spiritual awakening and transcendence is revealed in his zeal to discover the vocabulary of this mysterious painterly lan- guage. The paintings address today's tragedy where on one hand we know so much, and on the oth- er hand humanity risks keeping sliding backwards. Art has al- ways reflected mankind's great intellectual and spiritual quest. Mystery and Process by Anthony Spagnol and curated by Profs. Joseph P. Cassar is on until 14 July 2022 at the Art Galleries of the Malta Society of Arts, Re- public Street, Valletta. Entrance is free. For opening hours and more details please visit www. artsmalta.org or www.facebook. com/maltasocietyofarts.t Anthony Spagnol's seventh solo exhibition