Antonio Sciortino won first prize in an international competition to sculpt a monument in honour of Ukraine’s national poet Taras Shevchenko in 1914.
In
Cupola paintings at Birkirkara s St Elena church restored timesofmalta.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from timesofmalta.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
In the 23rd article in a series on 20th-century artists who shaped Maltese modernism, Joseph Agius details the artistic journey of Anton Agius.
A spate of comm
Oscar Wilde defined the timeless characteristics of sculpture when he remarked: “All good work looks perfectly modern: a piece of Greek sculpture, a portrait of Velasquez ‒ they are always modern, always of our time.” The work of Gozitan sculptor Mario Agius (b. 1956) reflects this in his collection of sculptures; different sculptural languages come together as one conversation that Agius proposes as different narratives; a sequel to his previous solo exhibition, Journey, held in March 2018.
Agius first studied under the late Mgr Michelangelo Apap. He furthered his studies with the late Anton Agius and Harry Alden.
He then continued his studies in Cheltenham, England, under British sculptor Ian Norbury who broadened his versatility. Enrst Barlach, the German Expressionist sculptor, was one of the main inspirations for the British artist and this influenced Agius the student too.
In the 19th article in a series on 20th-century artists who shaped Maltese modernism,
Joseph Agius delves into the life and times of
Frans Galea
Sculptor Frans Galea (1945-1994) belongs to an elite group of Maltese sculptors that Malta lost at a relatively young age.
Banda (1977)
Edward Pirotta (1939-1968), Joseph M. Genuis (1934-1970) and Toni Pace (1930-1989) and Galea have all contributed considerably to the modernist development of Maltese 20th-century sculpture. Yet, their untimely demise has deprived Maltese art history of oeuvres that would have much further enhanced the country’s 20th-century sculptural legacy.
From the days of his childhood, Galea demonstrated a dexterity in sculpting figurines for nativity cribs. This was nurtured by attending the catechism lessons at the Rabat centre of the society for the Christian doctrine, otherwise known as MUSEUM. The society was renowned for propagating a love for the traditional Christmas crib and the folklore relevant to