‘I’ve Been Working Night And Day’: Gabriel Buttigieg’s New Exhibition Boasts Powerful Paintings, Large Sculptures And More
Gabriel Buttigieg needs little introduction in the Maltese art scene, but even an artist of his caliber must be feeling a little overwhelmed at what’s about to go down tomorrow. After all, his most ambitious exhibition yet is just around the corner.
Buttigieg will officially be unveiled fabricATE this Friday at Spazju Kreattiv, an exhibition which seasoned curator Lisa Gwen herself said “consumed” everyone involved and challenged them all “in more ways than one”. And once you see the teasers being published ahead of this weekend’s launch, it’s easy to see why.
From his beloved brand of large paintings to a video projection, Buttigieg has delved into a number of different mediums for this latest exhibition, bringing together a number of collaborators for something quite extraordinary.
“There will be sound, there will be video, there will be sculptures that are even large than life-size, and even another layer of work involving ‘fabric’ which Lisa herself suggested,” Gabriel told Lovin Malta ahead of tomorrow’s launch.
“I’ve been working night and day on this, ever since the second day of the year, right after my previous project, Narratives for Post Modern Love,” Gabriel continued.
“Conjuring up an exhibition from scratch in just three months is tough – you’re going to feel the intensity in every way,” the artist continued. “Let alone when the paintings are this size. The lines are thick and bold, carefully calibrated, placed with deadly intent.”
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“From the mundanity of the everyday, to the grandeur of the historical, fantastical and biblical, Buttigieg reworks Graeco-Roman myths from Oedipus to Ovid, and subverts them,” Lisa Gwen explained in her curatorial brief. “Woven on fine fabric, these narratives are at once dark and exhilarating. Each one presenting itself in the guise of a metaphor for the moral, erotic and spiritual questions that have beset humans since the dawn of time.”
A collaboration with Camilleri Paris Mode, fabricATE has involved a long list of people over the past months, from Gabriel’s cousin Andrea Mugliett taking care of the sound to Matthew Mercieca editing a video, both of which will definitely help set the scene and ambience of the whole night.
The impressive sculptures have also become a reality thanks to Christopher Chetcuti, who helped Gabriel source the proper material and host him at the Malta Foundry. Christine Amaira fulfilled PR duties, while Andre Gialanze took all the photos.
“But who I’d really like to thank are Spazju Kreattiv, especially director Daniel Azzopardi, who approached me on this project and sponsored this opportunity even during the Malta Biennale,” Gabriel stressed. “I am extremely grateful.”
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