Out & About
Maltese photography in France exhibition
By MaltaMedia News
Jul 18, 2008 - 6:48:16 PM

The photographic works of Alexandra Pace, Patrick Fenech and Gilbert Calleja are being displayed at The European Night and at Café de l’Europe Exhibition – European Photographic Identities.

These two unique and prestigious events which form part of the “Rencontres de la Photographie d'Arles”, an annual celebration of top contemporary artistic photography in France.

The European Night and Café de l’Europe Exhibition present a range of contemporary photographic works by some of the most cutting-edge photographers from the 27 member states of the European Union. Artist Vince Briffa curated the Maltese participation.

Photographer Alexandra Pace showed a suite of works entitled “Aquarium”. The artist describes this collection as “a series of photographs depicting urban life created using a plastic fish-eye lens camera. This collection is made up of urban scenes, abstract creations and movement. The concept behind this project is that of pseudo fish bowls depicting different scenes from city life. As an outsider looking in, the viewer is invited to look into these little windows of other’ people’s worlds.”

Patrick Fenech’s collection of works entitled “Burning Bush” shows the spectacular colour and visual impact of local fireworks displays and intelligently puns on the title’s biblical connotation. The artist contends that “the photographs pose many questions. Are the Maltese truly Christian or just a synthetic sham? Do the people need to listen again to the voice from the ‘Burning Bush’?”  The works also show the absolute disregard to safety on such occasions with the celebrants wooed by the flames, colours and splendour of these displays.

Gilbert Calleja’s works centre on the cult of Boxing, and follows various stories within the sport’s local sub culture. Gilbert’s interest lies in the people that make the sport, the boxers and the people who surround them. Photographing behind the scenes, he seeks to “capture each fighter’s tension in those few lonely minutes between months of hard training and the ring. The neon lit corridors, dark passageways and stuffy changing rooms heighten the sense of expectation where each man warms up before walking into the ring to fist out his opponent.”



© Copyright 2008 by MaltaMedia.com