ABOUT CARAVAN CARAVAN is an international peacebuilding arts NGO that focuses on building bridges through the arts between the creeds and cultures of the Middle East and West. Originating in Cairo, Egypt, and now based out of Chicago, USA, CARAVAN’s experience has shown that the arts can serve as one of the most effective mediums to enhance understanding, bring about respect, enable sharing and deepen friendship between those of different faiths and cultures. For more information: www.oncaravan.org
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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
ARTISTS AGATHA GRIMA ANNA GALEA CHRISTOPHER SALIBA CLAIRE MARIE PEARMAN DANIELA GUEVSKA DAMIAN EBEJER EMMA VICTORIA MORGAN ABI MACLEOD CLARK FEDERICO CHINI FARID FADEL HEND ADNAN IBRAHIM EL DESSOUKY JAMES MICALLEF GRIMAUD JAMES VELLA CLARK KARIM ABD ELMALAK KENNETH ZAMMIT TABONA KHALED HAFEZ MIRIAM HATHOUT MOHAMED TALAAT MYRIAM O RACHEL GALEA VALERIO SCHEMBRI THE HAPPY SCHOOL
Against a backdrop of extremists’ attacks in the West and conflict in the Middle East, The Mediterranean Peace Donkey Project was a peacebuilding art exhibition of 21 life-sized fiberglass “Maltese” donkeys painted by premier Maltese, Gozitan, Egyptian and Western artists symbolizing the need for peace and compassion between the Middle East and West, and throughout the Mediterranean Basin. Running from November 2015 through February 2016, first in Mdina, Malta during the Mdina Cathedral Contemporary Art Biennale and then on the Maltese island of Gozo at the renowed Ta' Pinu National Shrine, a revered place of pilgrimage for centuries, The Mediterranean Peace Donkey exhibition used the symbol of the renowned and endangered Maltese donkey to focus global attention on four critical needs: interreligious harmony, Middle East-West relations, donkey welfare in zones of conflict, and humanitarian assistance for migrants/refugees. The form for the lifesize fiberglass donkeys was sculpted by the premier Egyptian artist Dr. Reda Abdel Rahman. The primary sponsors for The Mediterranean Peace Donkey exhibition were The Donkey Sanctuary, the global leader in the field of donkey welfare, and APS Bank. The Donkey Sanctuary prepared a report, titled Caught in the Middle, about the plight of donkeys in conflict zones of the Middle East that was launched with the exhibition.
AGATHA GRIMA Agatha Grima (b. 1965) studied art and painting from an early age and she trained at the Malta School of Art. Her preliminary training in art came through portraiture and classical reproductions of the Masters. In 2004 she was awarded a First Class Honours degree in painting conservation by the University of Malta and a prize for the best dissertation .That year, her participation in the International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works Congress (IIC) entitled 'Modern Art, New Museum', in Bilbao, Spain and her experience of the Guggenheim Museum, spurred a spontaneous reaction towards art in a modern context. It was during this time that Agatha started creating her own art as a means of self-contemplation. Her involvement in workshops and studies in ancient techniques and material properties helped her follow this path. A number of her major works now form part of both private and corporate collections including the APS Bank collection, Sparkasse Bank Collection and the Bieganski Collection. Apart from featuring in local solo and collective exhibitions, her work has featured in Paris and New York. Her last solo exhibition ‘Red Summer Nights’ ran throughout October 2015 at Bank Austria, Kundenzentrum Schottengasse, VIENNA.
PEACE DONKEY "Religion should unite all hearts and cause wars and disputes to vanish from the face of the earth, give birth to spirituality, and bring life and light to each heart. If religion becomes a cause of dislike, hatred and division, it were better to be without it, and to withdraw from such a religion would be a truly religious act. Religion should be a cause of love and unity." Abdu’l-Bahá, son of Bahá'u'lláh who founded the Bahá'í Faith Painting is for me a spiritual experience. It is a means of finding peace in oneself, being there, belonging. At the same time, each work is a cause for rejoicing, a means of embracing life, and a means of communicating peace. That is what my work is all about. One thinks about humanity, and all its undertandings and beliefs. And out of these differences, the issues of humility and tolerance arise. Both have always been strong points of reflection for me sometimes causing me to question my own faith and my own religion. Hence today, my donkey represents the living together of different creeds and different beliefs. He is the symbol of tolerence and respect without prejudice and misjudgements. In deep pulsating reds, my donkey is a sign of the giving of life and the embracing of the self, others and the world. My donkey is dedicated to all those who look at humanity in all its essence, who believe that the world is of all, and that all can be shared through love, affection and respect; for the couples who have overcome the hurdle of creed and who have joined hands in the creation of the children of the world.
ANNA GALEA
An established artist, Anna Galea (b.1958) is best known for her large floral watercolours, although she is also very keen on life figure painting, plein-air painting and abstractions. Anna holds a BA Degree in History of Art and Archeology (2009) and a Master’s Degree in Creativity and Innovation (2013) from the University of Malta. She has also participated in various painting workshops including with Central St. Martins of London (2014). She is founder member of the Friends of the National Museum of Fine Arts, Malta. Anna has won several prizes, including the National Art Competition in 2003, Best Watercolour Award (British Residents Association) in 1998, the Silver Palette Competition in 2002 & 2004. She has held various solo exhibitions and has exhibited her works in Paris, Levandou, Rome, Brussels, Tunis, Melbourne, Adelaide, and more recently in Dubai, London and Bali. Anna’s paintings have featured in books of the highly acclaimed ‘International Artist’ publishers of USA, on telephone cards, calendars, book covers, books and other publications. Her works can be found in various private collections of art connoisseurs, in palaces and museums, banks and offices.
KALCIDON My inspiration is rooted in the crystal waters typical of the Mediterranean Sea, and the olive tree that has long been endemic around these regions… since classical antiquity the olive branch has been a symbol of peace, known also to keep away evil spirits. It is in fact customary in Malta for the village priest to distribute an olive branch to each household during the traditional annual blessing of homes after Easter. My donkey is therefore immersed in the clear waters of our Mediterranean Sea, reaching out with olive twigs offering solidarity and peace. The twenty-one spiral waves bordering the seas represent the twenty-one Mediterranean countries and are inspired by the art of Malta’s unique prehistoric megalithic structures which pre-date the Egyptian Pyramids and Stonehenge by over a thousand years. Inspiration is also being drawn from Michelangelo’s Creation in the Sistine Chapel where the Creator’s hand is reaching out to Mankind. Furthermore, the repetitive spiral patterns are typical of Islamic art, whereas the more figurative hands personify the art of Western Europe. This juxtaposition of styles fuses the different Mediterranean cultures.
CHRISTOPHER SALIBA Christopher Saliba (b. 1975) graduated from the University of Malta in 1996 after completing successfully his studies in Art Education. In 1997, the Italian Government granted him a four-year scholarship at the Accademia di Belle Arti 'Pietro Vannucci’ in Perugia. His main areas of specialisation were abstract painting, sculpture and etching. Throughout this period he participated in several exhibitions organised by the Accademia and collaborated with his mentors and fellow students in periodical collective events. His contributions included large-scale abstract paintings and site-specific installations. Saliba read for his Master’s degree in Fine Arts in July 2001 and presented his dissertation, La Poetica del Sublime.
On his return from his studies abroad he settled in Gozo where he resumed his profession as an art educator along with his daily practice in his studio. He put up several solo exhibitions in local exhibition venues, among which the National Museum of Fine Arts, St. James Cavalier Centre for Creativity and Auberge d’Italie in Valletta. Saliba also displayed his works abroad in solo and collective exhibitions, namely in London, Paris and Palermo. He won several prizes including awards in the painting categories of the 2007 Malta International Biennale (135 nations) and the 10th National Art Competition & Exhibition organised at Palazzo de La Salle in 2011. Christopher Saliba's works are found in numerous private and public collections in Malta and across Europe, in Japan, Canada and the United States.
PEACE In the past, leaders used to ride horses if they were at war, but donkeys if they came in peace. The Old Testament in particular makes reference to this during the days of King Solomon. Centuries later Jesus himself entered triumphantly into Jerusalem on a donkey, thus symbolising his image of a Prince of Peace rather than a leader of an army. The Peace Donkey presented by Christopher Saliba represents the urge of all countries to unite together more than ever in a world crippled by wars and differing ideologies.
CLAIRE MARIE PEARMAN Born in Turkey in 1967, Claire Marie was educated in the UK and graduated from the American University in Cairo in 1990 with a BA in Psychology. After spending many years in Egypt, she now lives and works in Europe. Her art focus has been diverse, from paper and metal sculptures and installations to acrylic painting and photography. Claire Marie’s work often incorporates symbolic elements and is inspired by nature, faith and culture. She has exhibited her work in both the UK and Egypt. Working in the art field, she has helped to organize numerous large-scale group exhibitions of premier Middle Eastern and Western artists that have been held in renowned sacred spaces within Europe, North America and the Middle East.
IN PEACE AND WITH COMPASSION Barbed wire is wound up the donkey’s legs to portray conflict and the struggle for peace. Higher up, it morphs into a rambling rose; the thorns symbolic of the ongoing work that needs to be done to maintain peace once it has been achieved and the roses representing compassion. Egyptian folklore has been referenced a little with the bloody hand print and the blue eyes. In Egypt, this type of hand print is made for good luck but I find it evokes a visceral, negative reaction and have used it to symbolize the blood of innocents that is shed in conflict. This highlights how the same image can be viewed so alternatively by different cultural groups. The blue eyes are a nod to the ‘evil eye’ which keeps bad spirits away, hence the donkey and its message of peace and compassion will be protected.
DANIELA GUEVSKA Daniela Guevska was born in Bulgaria to a family of talented crafts-people and quickly developed a passion for the figurative arts. After completing her Diploma at the College of Applied Arts, she obtained her Master of Fine Arts at Velico Tarnovo University. In 2001 she moved to Malta, where she encountered the works of Caravaggio and delved into the socio-cultural influence of the Baroque on the island to understand its local culture. She has been constantly improving her own skills in classical drawing methods, working in new ways which are more adaptable to a postmodern reality – combining the Applied and Fine Arts as abstract paintings, collage, decorative panels and monochromatic murals. Daniela held solo exhibitions in Malta, Bulgaria and the UK, and her works are found in important private collections. She worked in Bulgaria as National Director of the Pilot Educational Project for people coming from different communities and ethnic backgrounds. With her passionate vision of using visual arts as a non verbal way of expressing unresolved emotions and solving problems, she is determined to bring out this concept as a corporate team building training programme and as a creative method of outreach to different socio-cultural ethnic community groups. Currently Daniela is focused on community arts projects to encourage people to fulfil their creative potential. DORA – WEDDING DONKEY The wedding is a bridge for peace, where two people make a public testimony and covenant for their love and fidelity in front of family and friends. The wedding is also a feast, which brings the spirit of joy and celebration. Even if the two sides were in a fight or disagreement, they will stop during the feast and enjoy the happy atmosphere. In the ancient times the wedding, in some cases, was a peaceful act or agreement for reconciliation between two countries at war. After the ceremony of the union between a man and a woman from the two sides, the enemy countries usually made peace and became allied. The presented ‘’wedding donkey’’ is a prototype of one, which usually carries the bride to the altar and is decorated with cotton knitted materials, laces, beads, jewelry and flowers. The ornaments are inspired from the rich Bulgarian folklore where the bright colours and rhythmic ornaments compliment the rhythm and the spirit of the joyful ceremony.
DAMIAN EBEJER
Damian Ebejer was born in 1961 in Somerset, England. His debut solo exhibition was held in 1994 at the Museum of Fine Arts, Valletta. Since that date his output has been prolific; he has held eleven solo exhibitions and has taken part in several group collectives; the latest being held at the Belgravia Gallery, London in December 2014. He is a self-taught artist, living and working in Malta and is well known for his abstract expressionist works which were primarily displayed during his A Tale of Consequent Parallels exhibition in 2007.Damian’s artistic repertoire includes mural painting. He has designed and produced murals and ceilings in the neo-classical, naïve Sicilian gothic, rococo and early Byzantine styles. These can be found in palaces and museums around Malta and Gozo. Ebejer also writes poetry and has published two books of selected poems; Talks with Silent Portraits (1983) and The Divide of Silence (2011). His poetry weaves together an impulsive, image driven sensibility and clearly shows that everything affords a moment’s inspiration. “…Ebejer reveals an integral human need to find the stuff of spectacle and wonder in the most humdrum realities of our lives…” (Farrugia, 2011).
A DONKEY CALLED BOXXLA – PIECING TOGETHER FOR PEACE My donkey has traveled to distant lands and has sought to bring us decorations in the name of Peace. I have chosen from a Moorish mural design from central Iberia, a Byzantine stylized representational panel from the central Mediterranean, an Arabian carved design from the Middle East and an ancient Egyptian motif. She wears these designs fittingly and shows us that we can all live together in serenity with mutual respect.She brings us a Persian rose, always welcome between friends. Her name is Boxxla, which means compass in Maltese, since she ventures to all lands without discrimination. It is the ingenuity of mankind that allows us to perceive and create. From the earliest cave murals up until today we have championed life in colour and design. Through our nature we transform our feelings into visual pleasures…Peaceful pleasures. Whilst thinking about our region it became clear to me that the prickly pear tree (Bajtra) can be found in most, if not all, of the countries around the Mediterranean Sea. I decided to include the easily recognizable shape of the Bajtra into one of her ears. The Bajtra grows quickly and becomes sturdy. This is my wish for Peace, to grow and flourish… In her other ear I depicted Mdina, which will be the junction where the donkeys will meet and participate in the Biennale. Finally, I painted my personal logo on the donkey’s back; an abbreviation of a Dara Celtic knot, inspired by the roots of the majestic oak tree. With this symbol I wanted to emphasize that goodwill is the dialogical Root towards Peace. This donkey still has far to go, but she is stubborn and will persevere until she reaches her destined goal…Peace.
EMMA VICTORIA MORGAN, ABI MACLEOD CLARK AND FEDERICO CHINI Emma Victoria Morgan was brought up in the North of England and after many years travelling settled in Malta in 2006. She studied Stage Craft and Stage Management Queen Margaret College, Edinburgh. After Graduating she spent many years working for various theatre companies in the UK and abroad, specialising in Stage Management and design. In 2014 Emma along with Abi Macleod Clark set up an Artisan Gallery and studios in Victoria, Gozo. Abi Macleod Clark originates from Brighton and moved to Malta in 2005. She trained in Art and Design and Theatre Design at Brighton College and Northbrook College, Sussex. Since leaving college she has worked as an artist throughout Europe eventually specialising in mosaic. In the UK she worked with many community arts based projects including the Same Sky Group whose main aim is to bring art to children from deprived areas of the South East of England. Son of a Professional Photographer, Maltese-Italian Federico Chini grew up in Rome between lenses, filters and reflex cameras. As a teen he started taking photography more seriously, learning darkroom and portrait techniques and developing his own style; then came the digital era bringing new freedom to the classic art. Federico now splits his time between Film making, Photography and Web Development.
ALL ABOARD Looking for peace, we lost ourselves somewhere between the East and the West in a place that was neither sea nor land, that had no flag nor religion. We drifted, pushed by a wind that promised change but delivered heavy clouds and thunder. Then, just as darkness had fallen, the loud bray of a small fishing boat pierced the night air bringing us to our senses. The rough hands of three artists brought us aboard and as we sailed through the night, they told us a legend. It was the legend of a white, blind, little donkey who abandoned by time had travelled throughout the 21 Mediterranean lands “looking” for a promise of peace. “Once you’ll find peace you’ll be able to see.” Centuries had passed but peace had been nowhere in sight. So, one day, as yet another new war tore the seas apart, in despair, the blind little donkey let herself drown in the midst of the sea. It’s tiny little pieces were scattered all over the 21 encompassing lands where the sun, sand and sea coloured them with hope, waiting for them to brought back together. The “All Aboard” donkey is a mosaicked visual representation of a traditional Maltese fishing vessel, a “LUZZU”. It’s colours: the yellow of the sand, the red of the sun and the blue ( & green) of the sea, are the traditional colours of slowly disappearing vessel; just as, its determined eyes (which are said to protect the fishermen while at sea), are a link to the Phoenician past and are there to represent its constant search for peace. Within the hundreds of mosaic pieces, made of recycled pottery, one can find photographic images of the island of Gozo ( where the artists reside) and 21 little stylised people, representing the 21 countries which border the Mediterranean Sea.
FARID FADEL Described by some people as a true "Renaissance man," Farid Fadel was born in 1958 in Assuit, Upper Egypt, into a family noted for both its musicians and its doctors. He has since excelled at medicine, art and music, taking all three gifts very seriously. He has held numerous solo art exhibitions, has given prominent music recitals and concerts, obtained his M.Sc. in Ophthalmology, and is presently working as a practicing eye doctor at the Memorial Institute of Ophthalmology, Giza. In 1973, Dr. Fadel was awarded the Pope's Medal and Vatican Award. In 1975, the Egyptian Parliament awarded him a trip to Italy to see Renaissance art, which had a strong influence on his style. In 2000, Dr. Fadel traveled with his exhibition "On Both Sides" to the USA where it was displayed in Ohio, Connecticut and Washington D.C. Over the years he has taken part in numerous group and solo exhibitions around the world. His interest in art theory culminated in the establishment of his "AIN" theory (Aesthetic Integrated Naturalism), which explains his particular views on a naturalistic approach.
RENAISSANCE DONKEY I have given my art piece the name "Renaissance donkey". On the one side a flying angel is barely holding on to the donkey's back while the other side becomes the backdrop of the two bored putti from Raphael's famous "Sistine Madonna". The idea is inspired by Egyptian village life where naked boys often enjoy simultaneous bathing with their donkeys and buffalos in nearby Nile water. Such water "games" occur in an atmosphere of love, laughter and close friendship.to fine art in a post-modern context.
HEND ADNAN
Hend Adnan was born in 1970, Cairo, Egypt. She lives and works in Cairo. Adnan received a B.A. from the Painting Department at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Cairo in 1992. She has shown her work in many national and international exhibitions, festivals and meetings in locations such as Cairo, Kuwait, Dubai, Vienna, Paris, Alicante, Algeria and Jordan. Her work is represented in both Egyptian and international collections. Adnan treasures the ability to work freely in oil colors and with live models, respecting shadows in all their forms, working on psychological moods and feelings into realistic representations and colors that bring together all the characteristics of oil colors with an emphasis on texture.
FOUR BEAUTIFUL WOMEN
Art gives us an experience freed from the disturbing conditions of actual life; an experience which is removed more entirely from bodily physiological accompaniment. Our experience has the purity, the intensity, and the abstraction of a dream. Although the donkey is a peaceful animal, to call someone a donkey in many cultures means that person is an idiot. But donkeys are not necessarily stupid, and possibly quite intelligent, it has more to do with stubbornness than stupidity. Polygamy has been practiced in most societies before Islam. Having more than one wife is related to animal nature than to human society. In Islam polygamy is allowed. With conditions and specific limitations, a man can have up to four wives at any one time. Some people choose the four wives option and forget about the conditions. This is what inspires me to participate with my donkey. My donkey has his four beautiful women, but being a donkey with hidden eyes, and a closed mouth, can he control them? Or do they rule over him?!
IBRAHIM EL DESSOUKY Ibrahim El Dessouky was born in 1969 in Cairo, Egypt. He lives and works in Cairo. After studying painting at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Zamalek (Helwan University), El Dessouky received his doctorate in 2003 which focused on the dynamics in painting. He is currently an associate professor. He has participated in an extensive number of national and international exhibitions and has shown his works throughout Europe, the Arab world and Asia. Acquisitions of his art can be found at the Egyptian Museum of Modern Art, AlAhram press Organization, Bibliotheca Alexandrina and Arab Museum of Contemporary Art, Qatar.
THE NIGHT DONKEY
At night we go out at the same hours. Our direction is known and our goal is clear. News, information and analysis before the ink gets dry or before the sunrise. Daily target without a rest, without a horizon. But it is our daily routine to gather these papers, maybe we could one night find a way out. But we always miss reading this red bold headline: This road has no end...
JAMES MICALLEF GRIMAUD
James Micallef Grimaud a.k.a Twitch or Twitchcraft started his artistic career in Malta, in the mid 90’s, using spray cans and walls in derelict locations around the island as his canvas. He is considered to be the pioneer of street art in Malta, the first graffiti artist to create works with ‘a deeper meaning’. He has simultaneously been experimenting with oils, acrylics and various other media in his studio, juxtaposing the urban with traditional art. He has held a number of collaborative and solo exhibitions locally and internationally. He is responsible for producing the first large scale murals on the island which have kicked off a keen social interest in street art on the island.
TERRITORIAL LIMBO
The donkey, the docile and hardworking beast, representing the backbone of laborious work in society is experiencing a process, a journey which has been forced upon it. It is used to travelling but this time has had to leave its country because of war, poverty and lack of educational facilities for its kids and their freedom. It is heading for the “Promised Land”, Europe, the land of hope, through a long and exhausting voyage. The name seen on the travel document , “Amal”, is female in nature, meaning “hope” in Syrian and it’s family name, “EL AMIN” means “truthful”. The sex noted on the document is male creating an ambiguous sexuality. The document has been issued in Malta, which shows that it has made it. It has lost weight and witnessed the horrors of man. It’s in a territorial state of limbo and yet the subconscious is full of freedom. It has proven to be a survivor, a righteous creature, a martyr for a peaceful future. The empty throne which is carries firmly on its back symbolizes its God, the religious beliefs, the biggest burden. The symbol heading the throne symbolizes the three most prolific religions in the Mediterranean and Middle East, Christianity, Islam and Judaism. The throne seems empty but is heavy with its personal faith. Its ribs protrude showing fatigue, malnutrition and his heart is broken after leaving the family and loved ones behind in a war-torn country. It has witnessed the horrors of man and desperation, some of which it carries in its gut such as that of Aylan Kurdi, the 3 year-old toddler from Syria, washed on the Turkish coast. On its hind leg there are signs of war and bombs bearing the communist symbol which represent Russia’s careless involvement. A piece of barbed wire is rolled around its hind leg. The drive and conviction towards the “Promised Land” is firm and blind.
JAMES VELLA CLARK
James Vella Clark is mainly concerned into using the landscape and the expressionist idiom in a way that mainly portrays his own personal human emotion. "The artist is first and first and foremost human and my humanity, whether in its frail and vulnerable nature, or in its inner strengths, is the central theme in most of my works." Born in 1975, James was introduced to drawing classes at the age of 6 but then became mostly self-taught. In 2001 he hosted his first solo exhibition which consisted of a set of landscapes that lent mostly from the expressionist movement. This was the starting point to a career that has seen the artist exploring the traits in the Maltese landscape, turning such traits into representational vehicles that reflect the personal human experience. "My landscapes are not only visual representations of real or imagined places that inspire me but become representative of the everyday human condition. My abstract work on the other hand, is an exercise in manifesting the spontaneity of my character becoming almost like therapy - where that which is controlled and calculated makes way for a free and uncontrolled expression.”
DIFFERENT SHADES OF PEACE
Peace can assume different aspects. It’s a whole spectrum that ranges from the wide and far-reaching idea of world peace to peace in our countries, in our immediate society, our surroundings, in our circle of friends and acquaintances, in our daily life, in our family, our home and finally in our heart. But without the latter, no form of peace is possible beyond. Peace has to come from each and every one of us. We are all called to promote this important value. We can all be an instrument for peace. I chose to draw inspiration from the universal peace prayer by St Francis of Assisi, a saint I personally admire a lot and one who even attempted cross-border interreligious dialogue when he visited Suleiman – something in which today’s society can find a very relevant example. At the very basis of this interpretation is the idea that if even a seemingly inane fiberglass model of a donkey can be an instrument to promote peace, how much more potential do we as human beings have to be instruments of peace, no matter what shade this comes in? My donkey is therefore, my own prayer for peace
KARIM ABD ELMALAK
Graduate from the faculty of Fine Arts, Minia University, Graphic Design Department. Illustrator for Sabah El Kheir & Rosalyoussef, Egyptian local magazines. Art & Managing Director for Red Box Advertising Agency. Practice Sculpture. Participant in the 1st Child’s Biennale workshop “Fantasia 1”, Cairo 2003. Won the silver medal in the International Competition of “SHANKERS World Association”, India 1993. Exhibitions: Private Art Works Exhibition at Cairo Gallery, 2001. Public Exhibition at Ahmed Shawky Museum, Cairo 2001. Public Exhibition at Mahmoud Said Museum, Alexandria 2002. The Sixth Salon of the art work small sector. The Exhibition of the Newspapers Paintings, “The 1st Foundation Cycle”. Black & White Exhibition, Cairo 2004. Private Art Works Exhibitions at Gallery Grant, Cairo 2004 to 2005. Public Exhibition at Ebdaa Art Gallery, Cairo 2007 – 2008. Regular Exhibition at Degas Gallery, Alexandria. Considered amount of Art Work shown at Modern Art Museum managed by Ministry of Culture in Cairo. Caravan Festival of the Arts, Cairo – London 2013 Caravan Festival of the Arts, Cairo – Washington 2014 The 25th Youth Salon 2014
WHAT DO I REFLECT? When you look at me, What do you see? The beauty or the shackles? Am I a slave or am I free? Take a good look now, For when you do, you’ll clearly find that I reflect you and you reflect me...
KENNETH ZAMMIT TABONA
Kenneth Zammit Tabona (b. 1956) is an eminent Maltese artist and illustrator. Perhaps best known for his watercolor depictions of Maltese interiors and landscapes, Kenneth Zammit Tabona provides a multifaceted look at Malta, his home that have been described as nostalgic poems in colour. Zammit Tabona has over the last thirty years produced a body of work that translates the balmy atmosphere of a Mediterranean summer evening or a storm at sea within his unique pictorial language. Swirls of color expertly rendered through the aqueous watercolor medium fluidly and effortlessly evoke the Mediterranean coastline, with its sublime light and tranquil atmosphere. Zammit Tabona’s paintings have long been part of important art collections and remain ever popular and despite their innate sophistication and sometimes idiosyncratic style. The artist’s success, however, has not been limited to our shores alone; including the Maltese Embassies in Berlin and Paris in 2005 and 2010 and Harrods in London in 2012. Zammit Tabona is also presently the Artistic Director of the Manoel Theatre, Europe’s oldest fully functional national theatre, and the originator and artistic Director of the highly successful Valletta International Baroque Festival. Kenneth Zammit Tabona is a well-known writer and is the founder president of the Friends of the National Museum of Fine Arts. He is Vice President of Perspectiv, the European Association of Historic Theatres and on the Board of REMA; Reseau Europeen de Musique Ancienne.
VIOLETTA
My donkey is lapis lazuli. My donkey is golden. My donkey is called Violetta after my grandmother who I loved. The donkey on Comino belonging to my Zammit Cutajar cousins was called Violetta too; possibly a little joke of grandma's cousin Maud. There was another donkey in my childhood. Zaren and his donkey clippclopped from Bkara nearly every day to bring us vegetables. The donkey was my alarm clock. One of the most charismatic personalities in Malta was Monsignor Michael Azzopardi the founder of Dar tal-provvidenza. He loved donkeys. I love donkeys. Christ rode a donkey on Palm Sunday. A donkey is very special.
KHALED HAFEZ
Khaled Hafez was born in Cairo, Egypt in 1963 where he currently lives and works. He studied medicine and followed the evening classes of the Cairo School of Fine Arts (Faculty of Fine Arts) in the eighties. After attaining a medical degree in 1987 and M.Sc. as a medical specialist in 1992, he gave up medical practices in the early nineties for a career in the arts. He later obtained an MFA in new media and digital arts from Transart Institute (New York, USA) and Danube University Krems (Austria). Hafez's practice spans the mediums of painting, film / video, photography, installation and interdisciplinary approaches. International group exhibitions include: 56th Venice Biennale, Italy, 2015 3rd Mardin Biennale, Turkey, 2015 15th Fotofest Biennale, Houston, USA, 2014 55th Venice Biennale, Italy, 2013 11th Havana Biennale, Cuba, 2012 9th Bamako Photo Biennale, Mali, 2011 8th Mercosul Biennale, Brasil, 2011 12th Cairo Biennale, Egypt, 2010 Manifesta 8, Murcia, Spain, 2010 2nd Thessaloniki Biennale, Greece, 2009
RED LINES Red Lines is a play on two linguistic puns: "red line/s" which is a post revolution term referring to censorship/prohibition of discussing certain political topics on the one hand, and on the other hand it is the name for the Zebra in Egyptian slang language: "homar mekhattat," which literally means "lined-donkey" or "donkey with lines." My donkey takes reference from the zebra through the use of striations of red and black that simulate zebra skin patterns, and at the same time those are the colors of the Egyptian flag, alongside the raw white color of the resin donkey. The project puts in question notions of censorship, taboos and freedom of thought.
MIRIAM HATHOUT
Miriam Hathout is an Egyptian painter who lives in Cairo, Egypt. She graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts in 2002 with a focus on oil painting. She has held numerous solo exhibitions in Egypt and Switzerland, and group exhibitions in Switzerland, France, England, Italy, Lebanon, Morocco, Kuwait, Austria and Saudi Arabia. She loves painting the Egyptian culture, using vibrant, bright solid colors on subjects like the Egyptian countryside. She especially loves to focus on Egyptian donkeys, which she portrays as humble, intelligent, peaceful and hardworking animals. Miriam also focuses in her work on the daily hectic life of the common Egyptian, who has to deal with crowds and traffic.
Her work is a mixture between Fauvism and Impressionism, where she is not concerned so much for realistic details, but rather of giving an impression with solid bold colors. She has an exceptional gift to control and form the color in her paintings to depict nature, and people, as they venture to perform both the mundane and significant tasks of life. Her work is found in collections in Egypt, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, United States, Australia, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France, Serbia, Belgium, Spain, Cyprus and Czech Republic. Her participation in the Mdina Biennale is sponsored by The Donkey Sanctuary in the United Kingdom.
IT IS HARD TO BE A DONKEY
I might be just a donkey but I can feel love. Although I might seem like a stupid animal to many, I am really intelligent and wise. I am hardworking and I know my way to work and back home in the hot sun. I can do many jobs; I am used as a mean of transportation, I help farmers in the fields, people attach a cart to my back and put on it vegetable and fruits, making me roam the streets. I am loyal to my owner and yet he too often under estimates me, and even beats me and overloads me with burdens more than I can endure. Yes, I am the humble animal, but Jesus chose to enter Jerusalem on my back and I even carried Mary, Joseph and little Jesus all the way to Egypt. Rather than see me as just a donkey, try to see me as a loving precious animal. If you could live just one day of my life, you would know . . . how hard it is to be a donkey.
MOHAMED TALAAT
Born in Fayoum, Egypt, Talaat holds a B.A. in Art Education from Helwan University (2001), a Diploma in Criticism from the High Institute of Art Criticism (2004) and an M.A. from the Faculty of Art Education (2004). Talaat is a member of the Fine Artists Association and the Association of Writers and Artists (Cairo Atelier). He founded Misr Art Gallery, was a programmer for the General Administration of Arts Centers of the Sector of Fine Arts (Egyptian Ministry of Culture) and is the former director of the Palace of Fine Arts (Ministry of Culture). Talaat has participated in numerous solo shows in Egypt and internationally. He has led workshops, curated symposiums, organized local and international exhibitions and been granted many merit certificates and honors. His art can be found in private and state collections in Egypt and abroad. CONVERSION TO THEOCRACY
Demonstrating absolutely outrageous ideology, they stereotyped the shape, and manipulated the mind. They also outrageously claim the best understanding of the past, the present and the future. Self-proclaimed guardians are claiming that religion is the best mechanism for causing global changes. Religious bigotry and chauvinism are the products of power struggles by selfish clergymen. Motivated by their self-interest, they ride religion to achieve political goals. As a result, religion is fragmented to several sects, faiths and parties. A major threat looms nearby when a war erupts between religious parties with every one of these adversaries claiming selfishly it is given the divine mandate to steer the people's destiny in the present life and in the afterlife. Self-proclaimed guardians condemn others for being renegades or converts, who should change their minds to avoid a fierce war. The guardians would also arrest the alleged renegades, forcing them to come to terms with the preposterous truth. The self-proclaimed guardians are no more than propagandists. They treacherously compromise human relationships and values; they would not hesitate to commit gruesome crimes in the name of God to overpower their opponents. In addition to the Taliban in Afghanistan and Al-Qaeda, many Islamist movements in Arab, Muslim and Western countries have distorted the image of Islam badly. After the US invasion, the Arab country of Iraq has become the tragic example of compromising religion to have a role in the political game.
MYRIAM O
Painting is another form of expression for Myriam O, pseudonym for Myriam Olivares Grez, artist-singer born in Santiago, Chile who finds inspiration in the beauty and sadness of life. Devoted to music and jazz, she has enjoyed a solid career and is reputed for her passionate and emotional interpretation of traditional and Latin songs. Former student of famed Chilean painter Maria Luisa Hernández, Myriam has experimented with different media, with oils her preferred medium. Her paintings have been described as pure perfume infused with romanticism, immensity and inner silence. Expressing emotions is her calling, whether she is singing a song or facing a canvas with a brush or a pencil. Myriam believes in the power of colour but she’s sentimental, emotions pushing her to create. Nowadays, when beauty and perfection are overrated, she feels painting is a journey through the longings of the heart and the windmills of the mind, just as life itself.
THE PACIFIC DONKEY I’m a Chilean artist, of Christian German and Sephardi descent. My mother’s family arrived in Chile from Turkey, and that places me, and my heart, in the Mediterranean. My donkey reminds me of Platero, the gentle white furry animal from the famous Spanish book. Unlike Platero, who died and made me cry every time I read the story, my donkey roams freely, in peace, feeling hopeful about humanity’s destiny. My donkey sings Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” because he wants to bring together people from opposite backgrounds and this can be done in dialogue, love and mutual respect. I decided to paint over my donkey the image of a pendant I own, which depicts the three religions of the Mediterranean in perfect harmony. I chose to do so as a symbol of my views and freedom of speech, to express that in art we are all children of the same colours, children of the same God.
RACHEL GALEA
Rachel Galea was born in Malta in 1973. Her family moved to Gozo in 1984. Over the years she expressed an intention in art and eventually studied privately to develop her style. She has exhibited in numerous exhibitions and has a considerable number of artworks in private collections. Rachel strongly captures the visual aspect of her sources of inspiration to turn them into dashes of colour and expressionistic movement. Rachel applies loose, broad brushstrokes and overlapping layers of paint to transform the flat surface of the canvas into bold, three dimensional interpretation of her subjects, through the use of vibrant palette and agitated brushstrokes which become the link between matter and spirit.
FREESPIRIT
Freespirit represents and celebrates life. He is at peace and sees beauty in everyone. He shines brightly to enliven us. He has an obsession for freedom and peace and has the courage to test life's boundaries and limits. "When the power of love overcomes the love for power, the world will know peace" Jimi Hendrix
VALERIO SCEMBRI
Valerio Schembri (b.1969) read architecture (1988–1993) and later obtained a master’s degree in Baroque Studies from the University of Malta (2000–2002). He was tutored in design by Alfred Chirchop (1933-2015) and in ceramics by Paul Haber (b.1940). As a ceramist besides various local collective exhibitions, Valerio participated in Ceramica Multiplex in Varazdin, Croatia (2009,2012); was awarded an honourable mention in the European Biennale for Ceramics in Mamer, Luxembourg (2010); was a finalist in the 32 Concors Internacional de Ceramica de l’Alcora, Spain (2012); represented Malta in European Ceramics Context, Bornholm, Denmark (2014). As part of Public Arts in Gozo 2011 his 2.2(h) x 3.0 x 2.0m large sculpture in Gozitan hardstone was installed in Marsalforn, Gozo, in March 2013. The ceramist was one of the four selected artists for the APS Bank Exhibition (Malta) in 2012. Twelve of his ceramic sculptures were exclusively exhibited in the internal courtyard of Palazzo de la Salle Valletta, Malta, in 2012. Valerio won two honourable mentions and three runner-up awards in open competitions by The Malta Society of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce and was also runner up in the Sculpture Section of The Malta International Arts Biennale in 2007.
RESOLVED
The Old Testament predominantly depicts the donkey as a means of transport. Significant are the moments wherein the donkey's jaws become deadly weapons in Cain's murder of Abel and Samson's killing of the Philistines. The New Testament's famous image of Jesus Christ entering Jerusalem riding a donkey, elevates the status of this domesticated animal used for transportation. The donkey is also presented in Christ's birth and the flight to Egypt; where in the latter episode Joseph relied on the donkey's help to get Mary and Christ to safety. This project celebrates the link between Joseph as the husband of Mary and the donkey; the animal that he trusted to take the Holy Family to safety and peace, across borders in lands where today Judaism, Islam and Christianity co-exist. The artist has studied the colour scheme and elaborate designs within a "standard" (banner) of a local "fratellanza ta' San Guzepp" and used them as the basis for decorating the life size model of the Caravan Peace Donkey. This project links the historical dispute that resolved the role of the local villages' carpenters guild with Joseph as its protector, to the symbolic role of the Mediterranean Peace Donkey spreading the fundamental message of intercultural harmony.
THE HAPPY SCHOOL Gozo College Rabat Primary, known as the “Happy School”, is one of the eleven primary state schools that are found on the island of Gozo. Situated in the heart of the capital town of the island Victoria, it hosts 370 pupils between the ages of 3 to 11 making it the largest primary school in Gozo. Children do not only come from Victoria but from all other villages in Gozo. Non-native speakers also attend our school coming from the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Japan and France amongst others. In addition to twenty-four classrooms, the school has administrative offices, a multipurpose mini hall, a well-equipped library, two playgrounds and an art workshop. The school staff amounts to 50 people. Children are so different, yet they are all talented with imagination, creativity and enthusiasm. Each child has his/her own character, his/her own history. Thus inclusion is the order of the day where each and every child is considered unique and where special attention is given to his/her particular needs. Inclusion is endorsed through differentiated teaching and learning by the classroom teachers, the provision of complementary education, the sterling work done by the Learning Support Assistants and the setting up of the Nurture Group (Rainbow Class) and the after school club Klabb 3 – 16. The school’s aim is to provide our children with the best holistic education, education which goes beyond the parameters of academic subjects and which caters for the social, emotional, behavioural and spiritual aspect of our clients. Children are not numbers but human beings. The school provides opportunities and organizes activities which help children develop their personal and social skills and thus increasing their self-esteem. Children are encouraged to actively engage in school life. They are protagonists not spectators.The school is fully aware that close cooperation between the school and the wider community is a step in the right direction. The school blog ourhappyschool.wordpress.com is a strong bridge between home and school. THE HAPPY DONKEY This donkey was the result of a truly inclusive art project. The 370 children from Gozo Rabat Primary School known as "The Happy School " all left their mark on the Donkey. -The 137 children from Kinder 1 and 2 and Year 1 left the donkey 274 colourful handprints. -The 137 children from Years 2, 3 and 4 designed the donkey; 137 little boys and 137 little girls. -The 92 children from Years 5 and 6 wrote 5 words each leaving the donkey with 460 words about peace, love and friendship. The Happy Donkey spent 2 weeks in school and became part of the school community. The children are immensely proud of their Happy Donkey and he has opened up many opportunities for teachers and students alike to discuss local and international issues about peace, friendship and harmony.