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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 29 NOVEMBER 2015 42 42 This Week The narrative of re-use RUNNING with Scissors is the title of Paul Scerri's upcoming solo exhibition which will feature as many as 30 new works, including his renowned portrait busts, wall hangings and freestanding figures. The exhibition will be held at Splendid, in Strait Street, Valletta, a venue which truly complements Scerri's tongue-in- cheek body of work. Curated by Lisa Gwen Baldacchino, in his catalogue, she explains how "Paul has found a most distinct aesthetic. His figures are exceedingly curious to be- hold, not unlike the characters out of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, only more autobiographic and context- specific… each of these figures has been drawn from the artist's immediate envi- ronment; each piece triggered by an ec- centric character, a random encounter, or even by a news item." "Scerri's work is presented through a series of recurrent themes, reinforced through the use of objects or symbols such as blindfolds, keys, scissors, face- masks, headdresses, birdcages. These are sometimes accentuated through the use of mixed media, found objects or bright and iridescent metals. There is also a distinct link with the work Paul presented in past shows, almost as though there is a narrative being pre- sented through continuation and the 're-use' of symbols." Scerri is no newcomer to the scene. Over the years, he participated in sev- eral collectives, locally and abroad; one of the more recent shows which put a spotlight on his work, being Xebgha Nies (2014). He studied ceramics abroad, at the Accademia di Belle Arti Pietro Vanucci, Perugia and proceeded to further his studies at the Istituto Statale D'Arte G. Ballardini in Faenza. He also studied the design and decoration of ceramic tiles in Imola. He was also awarded first prize in Ceramics in the '1o Concorso Avis' held at the Comune Municipale in Faenza. He taught ceramics at the Art and Design Centre in Valletta for around four years and he is presently part-time lecturer in ceramics at the Faculty of Education within the Univer- sity of Malta. Running with Scissors will be open to the public from Saturday December 5 till December 16. The exhibition will be open during the following times: Monday to Friday: 10:30 am till 19:00; Saturdays: 10:30 am till 20:00 and Sundays: 10:30 am till 19:00. More information as well as a few teaser images can be found on www. paulscerri.com – a website which was specifically designed for this project, and which will be updated with the full selection of images after the launch of the exhibi- tion maltatoday, SUNDAY, 29 NOVEMBER 2015 The narrative Faculty of Education within the Univer- sity of Malta. Running with Scissors will be open to the public from Saturday December 5 till December 16. The exhibition will be open during the following times: Monday to Friday: 10:30 am till 19:00; Saturdays: 10:30 am till 20:00 and Sundays: 10:30 am till 19:00. More information as well as a few teaser images can be found on www. paulscerri.com – a website which was specifically designed for this project, and which will be updated with the full selection of images after the launch of the exhibi- 'Setting Your Priorities' by Paul Xerri