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8 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 2 APRIL 2025 CULTURE THE Phoenicia Malta is hosting Maltese artist Alex Dalli with a solo exhibition titled 'Dell u Dawl'. Dalli is one of Malta's most distinctive contemporary artists. Dalli's minimalist yet textured compositions capture a pro- found sensitivity to space, form, and contrast. His restrained palette and layered surfaces create artworks that evoke both stillness and intensity, inviting viewers to engage in a deeply introspective experience. Inspired by both natural and architectural elements, he transforms the overlooked and the mundane into poetic visual statements. This exhibition is deeply per- sonal. In recent years, Dalli has faced considerable hardship.. Yet, rather than yielding to de- spair, Dell u Dawl stands as a testament to hope, persever- ance, and spiritual resilience. His unwavering Catholic faith has been a guiding force, allow- ing him to channel his personal struggles into a body of work that offers reassurance and op- timism. "Through my art, I try to ex- press what words cannot. In moments of darkness, I have sought light; not just visually, but spiritually", says Dalli. "This exhibition is my way of sharing that journey, showing that even in the bleakest times, hope re- mains". The exhibition showcases a collection of oil and mixed-me- dia paintings that explore the interplay between darkness and light, simplicity and depth, and resilience and hope. The exhibition's title, Dell u Dawl (Shadow and Light), en- capsulates its essence, juxtapos- ing absence and presence, ab- straction and meaning, solitude and revelation. A noticeable shift towards ab- straction while maintaining his hallmark of minimalism defines this collection, with the works extending beyond the two-di- mensional, engaging the viewer in a dialogue between surface and depth. This exhibition is particularly laden with textured surfaces, from which, Dalli often scratch- es away at the preparation that he had prepared. These scratch- es on the surface Dalli's use of gold in some paintings further alludes to the presence of light in darkness, reinforcing a theme of tran- scendence. These luminous accents serve as a quiet yet powerful affir- mation of illumination, grace, and renewal. And he hopes that these paintings offer reassur- ance to others facing any chal- lenge that they are facing, just like he needed and which he found through the meditation of his artistic practice. He firmly bekieves that through a negative experience, one can find that something positive will emerge. Dalli has exhibited extensive- ly in Malta and is widely rec- ognized for his ability to evoke emotion through minimalism. Dell u Dawl at The Phoenicia Malta is about his introspective journey, one that invites audi- ences to reflect on the resilience of the human spirit. The exhibition is curated by Prof Charlene Vella. Alex Dalli's Dell u Dawl – A journey through light and shadow Easter at Teatru Manoel with TOI TOI's The Boy Band Chronicles Alex Dalli THIS April 19 to 21 TOI TOI, Teatru Manoel Learning and Participation Programme pres- ent their Annual Easter Concert for the whole family, with this year's theme being The History of Boy Band Music in a nostal- gic celebration from Boyzone to BTS. The TOI TOI Annual Easter Concert offers a space in the cal- endar for all the family to join to- gether in a collective experience, bringing the older and younger members of our community into one space to enjoy live music in Malta's beautiful National Thea- tre. P revious concerts have covered a variety of themes such as musi- cal theatre and Disney that pro- vided repertoire enjoyed by dif- ferent generations, making it the perfect event for all the family. This year, they're dialling up the nostalgia with a boy band theme. The TOI TOI Boy Band will perform a stunning line-up, singing hit-after-fabulous-hit, accompanied by a live orchestra led by Maestro Edward Mifsud, with choreography by Warren Bonello and overall direction by Kate Fenech Field. This TOI TOI Easter Concert, recommended for anyone aged 5 and up, explores the history of boy bands and popular music with a special twist. The TOI TOI Boy Band features eight incredi- ble theatre performers, some of whom are seasoned performers and some who are just bursting onto the scene: Michaela Agius, Rambert Attard, Andrew Buha- giar, Luigi Buhagiar, Faye Mallia, Tezara Saliba, Neville Refalo and Noel Zarb. They will be accompanied by an orchestral ensemble, and each desk will include a young musician, as part of TOI TOI's drive to give Main Stage perfor- mance opportunities to young artists. The event's programme will include music by beloved boy bands from The Beatles to BTS, and a fair few in between. TOI TOI is the Learning and Participation Programme for Teatru Manoel and is the wing of the National Theatre dedi- cated to introducing young au- diences to the performing arts, whilst developing, nurturing and supporting artistic talent with in-house and outreach projects for all ages. The programme explores cul- turally relevant and education- ally enriching subject matter through a plethora of musical, dramatic, and dance styles. The artistic output continues to grow through established repertoire in addition to commissioned work by expert artists producing engaging performances that are intended to make the audience reflect, question and wonder. Tickets can be purchased on- line via https://teatrumanoel. mt/event/toi-toi-easter-show- ages-4-the-boy-band-chroni- cles/, from the Box Office, or by calling (+356) 21246389.