EXHIBITION Julien Vinet spearheads R Gallery’s first show with a solo

News / Malta / R Gallery

MALTA

R: FROM SOLDIER SANCTUARY TO CONTEMPORARY GALLERY

Anew gallery has cropped up on the contemporary art scene in Malta, debuting with a solo show by French artist Julien Vinet called Error 8003. R Gallery, a former British military hostel in the heart of Sliema, has been transformed from a place of sanctuary for soldiers into a spacious host for bold contemporary art.

The space, which consists of four rooms, opened to the public on 22nd September, where 200 guests came to witness paintings and object-installations created by contemporary artist Julien Vinet. The opening was also accompanied by a vivid performance by professional danc. er Tara Dalli, who works with Malta’s national dance company, ZfinMalta.

Through this multimedia body of work, Vinet contemplates the question: If an object only exists through its primary definition, what becomes of it when it is seen by a different, profane, alienated or alien gaze?

In Error 8003 (id est Malfunction in the system), the artist offers an homage to the imperfections in the beautiful as in the ugly to sublimate the object-subject. The textures, shapes, compositions offered by the artist invite us to dream, to engage in imaginative meditation and thereby rediscover the functions and functionalities of reused objects, connecting to the Camusian idea of changing archetypes to redefine an object.

Opening night by Kim Sammut Tara Dalli by Kim Sammut

ArtPaper spoke to Mark Sullivan, the architect and founder of R Gallery, about the new venture.

“We’re excited to offer a prominent space for contemporary art practices that disrupt,” Sullivan explained.

R Gallery aims to consider imminent questions of our time through the production, display and dissemination of contemporary art in the local and international context, the architect-gallerist added.

“It’s an honour to exhibit in this architectural treasure and be the first artist to inaugurate the space,” artist Julien Vinet said.

“The response has been fantastic, we’ve had people coming in from the street of all ages and backgrounds. The feeling is that people are open-minded enough to allowing themselves to embrace art.”

R Gallery is located on 26, Triq Tigne and opens between Tuesday and Saturday. The current show, Error Code 8003 runs until 31st October.