BA PHOTOGRAPHY
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ICA FESTIVAL DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
“It all starts here”. To many of us, students and lecturers alike, the opening of the Festival marks the ending of a long and laborious process. However, the title chosen this year challenges us to embark on a totally different mind shift. This is the beginning. This is the beginning for students who are concluding their studies at our Institute, planning an exciting future that lies ahead of them. This is the beginning for prospective students, who discover their ‘vocation’ during the Festival. And this is also a beginning for the Institute, each Festival being a way to evaluate the journey done so far in our contribution to the world of art, which determines the planning for the subsequent years. After last year’s success, the Institute decided to adopt once again the two-tiered system for the Festival. The first facet is the Exhibition, covering works of art from the ten departments that constitute our Institute. The second aspect is the active dimension where each department will have an evening whereby they can enter in dialogue with Industry and the public at large, about the current and future scenario of their respective departments.
These activities are definitely going to prove to be the major highlights of the Exhibition. The first night will be dedicated to the Performing Arts (30 June). Saturday 1 July will be Fine Art Night, and the day after will be dedicated to Creative Media and Photography. Monday 3 July will focus on 3D and Interiors whereas the closing day will be dedicated to the Graphic Design, Game Art and Interactive Media departments. All this has been possible thanks to the relentless energy of the staff and students who have once again succeeded in making this wonderful experience become a reality. I am sure that this same enthusiasm and zeal will be passed onto you as you become part of the reality of this year’s Festival!
Mr Tyrone Grima B.A., P.G.C.E., Pg. Dip. Dramatherapy (Roehampton), Pg. Cert. Spirituality, M.A.
THEA ABEGAIL AGUIS Thea Abegail is a photographer that started capturing images at a young age. She received her first professional DSLR at the age of 13 and began photographing her friends, which led to events, which then led to more artistically pleasing images, and hasn’t stopped taking photos ever since.
Thea enjoys many different aspects of photography and this way she has decided to build her career focusing on many different aspects of the art form and not just limiting herself to one.
NORMA JEAN FARRUGIA GATT Norma Jean`s work provides photography of all ranges although, nature and vistas are her favoUrite subjects to photograph. She has now just completed reading a B.A Hons in Photography at MCAST and has worked on multiple freelance assignments. What is seen in her work is not simply a documentation of what has been witnessed at a given time, yet a reflection and though from herself. Norma Jean is determinate to never stop learning and discovering new information to greaten her photographic knowledge both digital and analogue. Her aim is to always develop and prosper
her photographic career both locally and internationally. If one notices the photographs demonstrate sceneries of nature which derive from both local and international natural location. The photograph of the dog features the perks of being a photographer as according to Norma, which is that of working with animals. Norma Jean considers photography not just as a basic job which issues a pay-check at the end of the month but also passion and a way of living while also encountering the world through the lens.
JUSTIN GATT Photography has been an integral part of my life from a young age, as I strived to find order in a world of apparent disorder. My ultimate aim is to immerse the observer into my experience and perspective whilst at times, allowing enough space for interpretation. I hold qualifications both from the United Kingdom’s Society of Wedding & Portrait Photographers, and the British Press Photographers Association. After serving with the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) for several years, I was given the opportunity to turn my hobby into a full-time job in 2010. I currently hold the position of official photography for the AFM. This position exposed me to the photojournalistic sphere, and helped me further develop my style. My work at the AFM is mostly oriented towards documenting events that are happening within military operations.
My work with the AFM has me navigating many different terrains, and being exposed to the elements is part of the job. I have worked at momentous events, such as the recent acquisition of the AwgustaWestland 139 helicopter. After completing a BTEC Higher National Diploma in 2014, I am currently concluding a BA (Hons) in Photography at MCAST. Both courses have given me the opportunity to not only explore photography, but other similar subjects, which have helped my understanding of the medium.
MARLON POLIDANO Marlon Polidano started showing interest in the arts at an early age, his passions have led him to a job in media. He is currently a freelance videographer and photographer, and a full-time student at MCAST Institute for the Creative Arts, reading for a BA (Hons) in Photography. His two favourite areas are street photography and location photography. Monochrome is usually his style of choice. Besides that, photo manipulation and combining different art mediums together is something which he is very passionate about. In 2015, as part of the MCAST’s end-ofyear exhibition, he presented a set of three lenticular printing titled ‘Kurrenti’ ‘Kurrenti’ is an exhibition aiming to raise awareness on immigration. It shows the struggles such people experience when off-shore. Unfortunately, not all individuals make it safely to their new destination. In the following year, Marlon exhibited
‘Ġrajjietna’ which is a Maltese History audio-visual book, including photographic and illustrational elements, aimed for young children. Both mediums are used to create scenes which characterise different historical periods from Maltese History. In 2014, Marlon was selected to be included in ‘Identità’, by AŻAD Malta, which was an exhibition of Fine Art by Maltese artists, celebrating Malta’s Independence, Republic, Freedom Day and EU Membership anniversaries. In 2015, AŻAD Malta included Marlon in ‘MARA’, a collective exhibition of a series of events, including a visual arts exhibition spanning over 5 decades of Maltese art.
MARIE CLAIRE PORTELLI I am a student at the MCAST Institute for the Creative Arts reading for a BA HONS in Photography. This is my final year and in the past 3 years I have evolved my passion for photography mostly fashion photography. I have always been a creative person but during my 5 years at MCAST I learnt how to put my creativity into practice. I am a driven woman with a very strong passion for what I do.
In my life I have accomplished many things and have learnt so many different subjects apart from photography, and all these have led me to create artwork, which go beyond photography on its own. It is all my skills combined together which has led me to create what I managed to create up till now. My motto is: Learn always because you will not need it today, but tomorrow.
MARIA XUEREB Maria Xuereb is a driven 23year old conceptual photographer, with a creative spirit and unmatched drive. Attempting to discover herself through each photograph she takes, she is derived by the intellectual side of a photograph that over rules the aesthetical importance of it.
Holding prior experiences within various photographic genres such as events and weddings, benefits her in expanding her photographic techniques and knowledge. Whilst aiming to further her career within the social documentary field, her desire is to practice her photographic skills through her own perception of the world to capture the meaning behind every spectacle in a photograph.
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