Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/364850
27 THIS WEEK How would you describe the dy- namic of Divergent Thinkers? I believe that the term 'Divergent Thinkers' sums up very much the physical and intellectual process that contemporary artists need to under- go. In my personal experience, art is a process of elaboration of the media employed but also, and equally im- portantly, the elaboration of ideas that challenge accepted notions of the subject of art. Divergence has to be equivalent to courage; courage to break new ground. But this is only possible if concurrently with that courage, one is also a thinker, one who thinks through his work and strives to re- produce both his thoughts and his divergence into an appreciable re- sult. Would you say that your ap- proach to art is primarily local, or international? How so? In my work, I seek to re-work the environment and context of images and situations, through anachro- nism, impossibility and the manipu- lation of reality. What interests me is the semiological message underlying such situations. Visual art is a continuous explora- tion of myself and what surrounds me. It is the attempt to portray the radical in as 'real' a way as possible, and this is a way of coming to terms both with myself and with my envi- ronment. I don't exhibit my works a lot but for this particular exhibition I chose the local approach. I am based in Malta, in Gozo, to be precise, and most of my work is conceived in a Maltese context. Therefore it's useless to ar- gue that my art in general is not pri- marily local. On the other hand this does not mean that my ideas cannot – and do not – target a wider field. After all, with Malta's membership in the Eu- ropean Union and its geographical location at the crossroads between Africa and Europe, give to our island an international dimension. What are some of the most im- portant things you've learnt about art from school and other edu- cational institutions? What are some of the most important things you've learnt at your own initia- tive? Art is a lifelong process. I never studied art academically until post- secondary while reading for my Art A-level. Previously, my first art educator was a book entitled 'Paint and Draw with Tony Hart'. With his step-by-step drawings and paintings, and along with other art enrichment courses, I managed to strengthen my foundations in art practice in a large array of mediums. Then, during my B.Ed course I was fortunate enough to be under the tuition of some artist members from the Maltese art movement START. I can say that their radical vision of art opened a new path in my artis- tic career. Moreover I continued to master my artistic vision of things based on philosophical and theo- retical grounds during my MFA in Digital Arts obtained last year. How do you think participating in VIVA will help you as an artist? VIVA is not only a platform that helps the artist to launch himself in the Maltese artistic scene, but is also encouraging and educating the public through participation in such exhibitions. It's not just another in- stitution that is calling only art con- noisseurs to museums and galleries but it is looking beyond that, to edu- cating the public through art. What's next for you? Who knows! For Richard Huelsen- beck "the best and most extraordi- nary artists will be those who every hour snatch the tatters of their bod- ies out of the frenzied cataract of life, who, with bleeding hands and hearts, hold fast to the intelligence of their time." I do not wish to fall into a rut; I devoutly wish to remain "divergent" from the common stream. And in order to do that the mechanism of the brain have constantly to remain active to combat the trite and the mundane. As to what's next, that will be up to my ability to keep up with this. containing all manner of ephemera related to the Great War, collected over a number of months through auctions, flea markets and private dealers. The result is a surprisingly inti- mate look into the progression of the war, as seen through the eyes of the young men who fought in it. Letters to loved ones sit beside pho- tographs and newspapers from the era. A small collection of medals has a case to itself. A series of watches is in another, showing how practical- ity and durability turned the dis- tinguished pocket watch sideways and affixed it to a strap, creating the first wristwatch. Even in the darkest hour there is room for human inge- nuity and creativity. Pillow and his colleagues have tried their best to ensure that every expression of that creativity has a chance to be celebrated. The Festi- val is playing host to an ongoing se- ries of lectures and demonstrations, and has hosted a fashion show, an evening of poetry and three con- certs already. For a new event, it has certainly set the bar high for what an arts festival should strive to achieve. There is a learning curve, of course. "Next year, we want to be more selective," Pillow says, refer- ring both to the artists exhibiting and selling and to the size of the collection on show. Given the time and effort it took to put up this festival, it is not an unreasonable choice. That's not to say that the Foun- dation will be resting on its laurels until next year – there are plans for several exhibitions, including an ambitious installation based on Dante's Divina Commedia. Given the quality of this year's offering and the benefit of experience, art lovers can expect a feast for the senses from the Bieganski Founda- tion's future events. PEERLESS PLYMOUTH – PG 34 Following the MCAST Art and Design End of Year exhibition, MaltaToday interviews some of Malta's (hopefully) up-and-coming artists. This week we met with Mario Abela maltatoday, SUNDAY, 17 AUGUST 2014 Divergence means courage Mario Abela GLORIOUS GBEJNIET – PG 32 CELESTIAL CHAMPIONS – PG 35 "Next year we want to be more selective"