Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1503864
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 16 JULY 2023 5 ART Collective exhibition by seven international artists at the Malta Society of Arts Hover-Still, a visual arts show comprising works in different mediums by seven established Maltese and international artists curated by Lily Agius, opens this Thursday 6 July HOVER-STILL, organised by Lily Agius Gallery, is a collective exhibition by Eiko Borcherding, CO-MA, Stephanie Galea, Luca Indraccolo, Sallyanne Morgan, Ivan Prieto and Julien Vinet. It comprises works in different me- diums, all inspired by the poem Go Fishing by Ted Hughes. Offer- ing an interpretation of the liter- ary work in their own distinctive styles, the works on display at the Art Galleries of the Malta Socie- ty of Arts (MSA) in Valletta will include oil paintings, drawings, photography, and sculpture. Commenting on the idea behind this exhibition, curator Lily Agius reveals that Hover-Still will be the first of a series of collective exhi- bitions in Malta and abroad to be held with artists from her gallery. Agius continues to explain that for artists, poetry is often a fertile source of imagery that leads to in- spiration for visual readings. "Go Fishing, by Ted Hughes, was cho- sen to set the mood for the exhibi- tion. It presents life's challenges at its most poignant moments. The words Hover-Still, from the poem itself, felt the most appropriate title as they create the right set- ting: to be present in the current moment, before the next moment begins…" she elucidates. "As an art promotor, my role is to present fine art any way I can. For this exhibition, I chose to ex- hibit a mixed media show by a varied group of excellent fine art- ists from Malta, Germany, Spain, Italy and Ireland, and showcase a perspective of each artist in their own style," continues Agius. "It has been almost 20 years since I organised the first exhibition in Malta, and I still enjoy every step of the process: from its concep- tion, the collaboration with the artists and others involved, to the opening event and meeting those with the same appreciation for fine art. One of the seven artists, Italian-born Luca Indraccolo of- fers further insight into how Ted Hughes' poem influenced his work for Hover-Still. "The men- tion of 'rainbow monster-struc- tures' suggests a sense of unpre- dictability and elusiveness in the face of the natural world," he says. "In one of my works to be shown at the MSA, the battle between fishermen and fish represents the eternal struggle between man and nature, highlighting our quest for control, dominance, and the pur- suit of goals that may seem beyond reach. In my creative process, I employ a combination of loose brushwork and precise rendering, creating a balance between real- ism and expressive mark-making. Through this dynamic brushwork, I want to add energy and vitality to my paintings." Irish artist Sallyanne Morgan, who spent many years living in Malta, uses the human figure to animate ideas, to distil and freeze in time a moment of emotional expression captured in form. "I work from the inside out, match- ing internal narratives with out- ward posture and gesture. I alter body parts – to enable figures to appear both realistic and surreal," explains Morgan. "The poem Go Fishing describes an emergence from deep reverie and the propulsion back to real- ity. I have tried to articulate and embody certain lines from this work, such as in Wing Shadow, which for me evokes a sense of reluctance or a moment between two worlds." Spanish artist Ivan Prieto's reading of the poem led him to create sculptures using the human body or parts of it. "I think what the author is trying to communicate is the feeling of connection with the divine, with God, with Tao, or nothingness – it doesn't matter what name it is giv- en. There is a kind of meditation and attention to nature. Just being there connected to everything. My characters usually talk about silence and like meditation," he reflects. "They are struggling with their thinking that sometimes is shaped in different forms (such as hands that express desire), other times they are looking for balance through a dance with life (inflat- ables). Fragility is the essence of these figurines that from one mo- ment to another can deflate (in- spiration and expiration, life and death)." German Eiko Borcherding used the poem to create pencil and mixed media drawings on found fragile paper. For Hover-Still, Borcherding created works in his typical unique style, using his find- ings of vintage paper scraps and old book covers in flea markets or antique stores to create his draw- ings. MSA President Arch. Adri- an Mamo is looking forward to the opening of Hover-Still in this new collaboration with Lily Agius Gallery. "As the MSA, we believe in the power of building relation- ships, so we're delighted to host this exciting collective show of artists in what hopefully will be the first in a series of collabora- tions with Lily Agius Gallery," he says. The exhibition Hover-Still pre- sents artwork by Eiko Borcherding, CO-MA, Stephanie Galea, Luca Indraccolo, Sallyanne Morgan, Ivan Prieto and Julien Vinet. It is curated by Lily Agius and spon- sored by iLab. Photo and BAS Ltd. It is open between 6 and 20 July at the Art Galleries of the Malta So- ciety of Arts, 219 Republic Street, Valletta. For more information and enquiries contact Lily Agius Gallery on info@lilyagiusgallery. com or +356 9929 2488. For opening hours please visit www. artsmalta.org or www.facebook. com/maltasocietyofarts. Left to right,Contemplations in Pastel, work by Stephanie Galea and Berliner Punkym work by Ivan Prieto Wingshadows work by Sallyanne Morgan