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MALTATODAY 9 August 2026

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GENERAL LITERATURE – A book of short stories by Leonard Schembri - "The unfolding story of the Holy Grail & other stories" available from all Agenda bookshops and outlets. HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION MARSALFORN, Gozo - holiday apartments for short or long lets with magnificent sea-views. Call 21556021, 27556021, 79426883 SERVICES PLASTERING & RENOVATIONS - For all type of plas- tering and renovation call Matthew on 79727779 or send a message on fb: MA Plastering & Renovations. VACANCIES LABOURER - Grixti Properties Ltd, San Gwann cur- rently have full-time vacancies for a construction labour- er. Applicants must have experience, fluently speak Maltese & Syrian. Hourly rate Eur6.00. Interested appli- cants may send e-mail to: secretary@a-plusplus.eu. OFFICE CLERK - Sunny El-Abdullah Company Limited is seeking an experienced Office Clerk to join its team on a full-time basis. Applicants must have previous office experience and be fluent in English, Arabic, and Filipino. Hourly rate: €5.75. Interested applicants are invited to send their CV by email to: sunnyabdilla@yahoo.com CLASSIFIEDS info@mediatoday.com.mt 8 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 9 AUGUST 2026 CULTURE & CLASSIFIEDS Ancient goddesses meet modern art WHAT happens when one of Malta's pioneering modern artists encounters one of the island's oldest archaeological treasures? The answer lies in Hidden Goddesses – Unseen Paintings by Giorgio Preca, a remarkable exhibition at the National Mu- seum of Archaeology in Vallet- ta that reveals a collection of 31 previously unseen works by Giorgio Preca, inspired by Mal- ta's iconic prehistoric "Sleeping Lady". Running until 4th October 2026, the exhibition offers vis- itors a rare opportunity to dis- cover an important body of work that remained hidden from public view for decades. Unveiled by the artist's family following the success of the ret- rospective exhibition dedicated to Preca at MUŻA five years ago, the collection includes a striking self-portrait alongside bold reinterpretations of the Maltese goddess. Best known as one of the pi- oneers of Maltese modern art, Giorgio Preca worked as a re- storer at what was then the Na- tional Museum, housed in the very same Auberge de Provence where this exhibition is now taking place. Before leaving Malta permanently in 1956, he spent countless hours among the museum's archaeological collections – experiences that almost certainly inspired the paintings visitors can admire today. At the heart of the exhibition is the famous Sleeping Lady from the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum. Rather than simply reproducing the prehistoric statuette, Preca transformed it through his dis- tinctive artistic language of bold colours, expressive black out- lines and simplified forms. The result is a fascinating dialogue between Malta's prehistoric past and twentieth-century ar- tistic modernism. To deepen this conversation, many of the prehistoric arte- facts that inspired Preca – some original and others faithfully re- produced – are displayed along- side the paintings. The exhibi- tion itself has been designed as a series of semicircular spaces arranged around a central pas- sage, echoing the prehistoric architecture of Mnajdra and creating an immersive journey through Malta's cultural mem- ory. Beyond their visual impact, the paintings explore enduring themes of heritage, identity, memory and representation. They also invite visitors to re- flect on the role museums play in shaping national narratives and how archaeological dis- coveries continue to inspire artistic expression across gen- erations. The exhibition is particularly significant because one of its centrepieces, Sleeping Goddess (1972), has been generously do- nated by the artist's family to the national collection under Heritage Malta's care, ensuring that this important work will remain accessible to the public for generations to come. Admission to Hidden God- desses – Unseen Paintings by Giorgio Preca is included with entry to the National Museum of Archaeology. An illustrat- ed exhibition catalogue is also available from Heritage Malta museums, sites and online, of- fering readers a lasting insight into this unique encounter between ancient heritage and modern creativity. The exhibition space is fully ac- cessible. For more information and tickets, visit: https://her- itagemalta.mt/whats-on/hid- den-goddesses-unseen-paint- ings-by-giorgio-preca/

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