Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1532882
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 2 MARCH 2025 3 CULTURE A Mediterranean history of modern art: tension between history and metahistory PROF. Giuseppe Schembri Bonaci's latest publication, A Mediterranean History of Modern Art: Tension Between History and Metahistory (Vol- ume 1), builds upon the au- thor's critical scholarship on modern art by focusing on the nineteenth and twentieth-cen- tury artistic developments of the Mediterranean region. His is the first study on Med- iterranean modern art which analyses the region as a whole and that considers the multiple contradictions and complexi- ties of the geographical space in question. Schembri Bonaci's theoretical approach to the study of the arts is here further developed to analyse themes that are in- extricable from the history of the Mediterranean, namely the tension between the cosmopol- itan and the periphery and the coloniser and the colonised, and how these defined the ar- tistic character of the region. In A Mediterranean History of Modern Art, the author advo- cates for a horizontal approach to the study of Mediterranean art by dialectically juxtaposing and challenging hegemonic vertical models that have sus- tained a hierarchy of artistic positions. Exploiting this in- novative approach, Schembri Bonaci challenges the outdat- ed methodological approaches that are still predominant in scholarship in 'peripheral' ter- ritories, including Malta. This innovative shift from the vertical to the horizon- tal, yet which combines both positions, reconsiders history through the ideas of Marxist, Frankfurt School, and oth- er post-Marxist schools of thought, through the writings of modern and postmodernist thinkers, and other contem- porary schools of thought and, significantly, through the writ- ings of non-European scholars, intellectuals and artists from the Mediterranean region, with the aim of challenging notions upheld by the colonial perspec- tive, still dominant under vari- ous forms and robes in today's academia. This book is published by Ho- rizons and was funded by the National Book Council's Na- tional Book Fund 2023. MYO chamber and ensemble concert: A showcase of talent by the Malta Youth Orchestra THE Malta Philharmonic Or- chestra presents MYO Cham- ber and Ensemble concert on Sunday, March 9th, at 11am at the Robert Samut Hall in Flori- ana. The talented musicians of the Malta Youth Orchestra show- case their artistry in chamber music and instrumental ensem- bles. Smaller groups allow them to explore a diverse repertoire, highlighting individual expres- sion and the unique timbres of their instruments. Performing in these settings offers them the opportunity to collaborate closely, refine their technical abilities, and develop a deep- er understanding of musical communication. Through these performances, MYO musicians demonstrate their versatility and commitment to excellence. Booking from showshappen- ing.com About MYO The Malta Youth Orchestra (MYO) is a dynamic and tal- ented collective of young musi- cians who are passionate about music and committed to artistic excellence. Comprised of gifted students and emerging profes- sionals, the orchestra provides a platform for its members to hone their skills, collaborate with peers, and perform a wide range of orchestral and cham- ber music. Under the guidance of experienced conductors and mentors, the MYO fosters both technical proficiency and crea- tive expression, helping young musicians build a strong foun- dation for their musical careers Through regular concerts, mas- terclasses, and performances, the MYO offers its members invaluable opportunities to en- gage with a diverse repertoire, ranging from classical to con- temporary works.