د . إAEDSRر . س

A New Contemporary Art Gallery Hits Sliema – And Its First Exhibition Muses On Beauty In Malfunction

Article Featured Image

A new contemporary art gallery has landed in Sliema, debuting with a solo exhibition by French artist Julien Vinet.

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.

“We’re excited to offer a prominent space in Sliema for contemporary art practices that disrupt,” Mark Sullivan, an architect from SON architects and founder of the gallery, explained on its opening.

Through Vinet’s current show, called Error 8003, he offers an ode to imperfection, a visceral challenge to ideas of what can be beautiful and what cannot be.

The generous textures, shapes, compositions, and mixtures offered by Vinet invite us to engage in imaginative meditation, and thereby rediscover the functions and functionalities of reused objects, thereby sublimating the subject-object.

Pjanci I and II, the biggest works presented in R Gallery, are an homage to the Mediterranean underdogs of Malta: the men and women that “stretch the dough with lard and cheese that feed thousands of islanders” – an ode to the hard-working pastizzara on the island.

Another work that bares a transcendence in transformation is Break Glass for Key. The object typically exists to provide a solution with a single key held inside the circular glass structure, which is broken in emergency circumstances.

In this piece, Vinet challenges its typical function by filling it up with many different keys, offering an obstacle or perhaps, an alternative solution.

Error 8003 also boasts a number of paintings, in the artist’s distinct abstract, monochromatic oeuvre.

Obverse and Reverse for example, are large-scale works that feature next to each other. Upon close inspection, the viewer will notice that the two works are a near-mirror of one another, in that Reverse was born after being pressed onto Obverse.

“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 allow themselves to embrace art.”

R Gallery is also holding an open night focused on poetry and conversation tomorrow, with a select number of poets and figures to join and discuss their thoughts in connection to the current body of work. 

The current show, Error Code 8003 runs until 31st October.

R Gallery is located at 26, Triq Tigne, Sliema and opens between Tuesday and Saturday.

Tag someone that needs to check this new gallery out

READ NEXT: San Andrea School Principal Suspends Herself 'To Set A Good Example' In Wake Of Millions Mismanaged Claims

Sasha is a writer, creator, and podcast host interested in environmental matters, humans, and art. Some know her as Sasha tas-Sigar. Inspired by nature and the changing world. Follow her on Instagram at @saaxhaa and send her your stories at [email protected]

You may also love

View All