Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/318021
THIS WEEK A group of young local visual art- ists will be showcasing their work at Xarolla Windmill, Zurrieq from May 30 until June 22, under the banner of 'Assimilated Spaces'. The works showcased as part of the exhibition are a result of di- rect observation of tangible spac- es. Much of the work on display is based on the reactions and relations present, or absent, within the con- text of space. Assimilated Spaces aims to ex- plore the intersection between real and imaginative spaces, and how these are interpreted by the participant artists. The process by which the works were created was an exercise in analysing surround- ing and imaginative environments. The work attempts to reassess and re-qualify our relation to every- day space, most of which are often looked over. Drawings by Andrea Zerafa and paintings by Ryan Falzon explore an assimilation of tangible spaces, created in a personal and expressive manner. Zerafa will be exhibiting a series of small ink and wash draw- ings which were all done on site, in this case at the University of Malta. These drawings portrait an interac- tion between the area within a class- room and students; it is about cap- turing a f leeing moment. Falzon's works are on a similar wavelength, where urban spaces are going to be presented on a parallel level with activities that can only be executed within a built environment. Collage and painting are the main tech- niques used here, combined togeth- er to create colourful but somehow discomforting works, mostly due to the undercurrent themes found within the works, themes such as the atomic bomb on Nagasaki, the Vietnam war, traffic accidents and chronic solitude, among others. Sabrina Calleja Jackson is present- ing two works, executed in oil on canvas. The space explored here is more on a personal level, space that is visualized through soap bubbles. These bubbles represent ephemeral happiness, a h a p p i n e s s f loating within the boundaries of the canvas. The works are done in an el- egant, clean manner, where the light back- ground and o v e r b l o w n b u b b l e s clearly de- mands the a t t e n t i o n of the viewer. The works by Gabriel Buttigieg consist of five profiles of the same model, done in conte crayons. The model is existing within a confined space, with the boundaries between the subject and back- ground being blurred due to the rough working manner of the artist. The fragility and elegance of the design push further this idea. Sarah Maria Scicluna's works were borne out of a desire to explore space in relation to the shapes being used, mainly being concerned with composition and how it can be dis- played. She will be pre- senting four pieces executed in silk- screen technique. Her works, just like those from Calleja Jackson, are clean and minimal, existing on a plain surface. maltatoday, SUNDAY, 25 MAY 2014 31 THIS WEEK Collaborative exhibition by young artists in Zurrieq The Malta Historical Society to recognise excellence in scholarly articles THE Malta Historical Society is launching the first edition of awards to recognise those publications that have made a distinct contribution to Maltese historical studies. The awards will acknowledge excellence in scholarly articles on Maltese his- tory published in Malta and abroad by established Maltese and foreign authors as well as articles by new entrants in the field of historical re- search. The Society will present two awards: the 'MHS Award for Pub- lished Historical Research 2014' and the 'MHS Award for Published Historical Research by Emerging Authors 2014', with the support of Middlesea Insurance plc. All nominated papers must have been published between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2013. Three hard copies of each nominated paper (as published, or print-outs in the case of electronic journals) must be sent to The Secretary, Malta Historical Society, 1 Dun Amatore Gambin Street, Santa Lucia, SLC 1410 by May 30, 2014. The winning authors will receive The Middle Sea Trophy for Maltese History, a review in Melita His- torica, a one-year complimentary MHS membership as well as a prize of €1,000 for the winner of the MHS Award for Published Historical Re- search 2014 and €500 for the recipi- ent of the MHS Award for Published Historical Research by Emerging Authors 2014. The prizes are spon- sored by Middlesea Insurance plc. For more information log on to: www. maltahistory.eu The event is organised in collaboration with Zurrieq Local Council. The exhibition will be open to the public between 09:00 to 12:00 from May 30 until June 22 Ryan Falzon 'Pig Platz ist uber Hip ' (Detail) Sabrina Calleja Jackson 'Ephemeral Sadness' Sarah Maria Scicluna 'Exploring space x 2'(detail) Andrea Zerafa 'Elsewhere' Gabriel Buttigieg 'Glen'