Love Letters From Lisbon To Floriana: Ed Dingli And Diogo Pattara Explore Notions Of Home In New Exhibition
Currently at the Malta Society of Arts in Valletta, an exhibition wherein two graphic designers moved into the home countries of one other is captivating the attention of wide audiences.
As Ed Dingli moved to Lisbon, and Diogo Patarra found himself in our own country (specifically Floriana) they planned a print exchange which led them to speak about their separate work. This led to their first ventures into painting which culminated in Ngħaddu ż-Żmien, an exhibition curated by Andrew Borg Wirth.
The paintings have a special expression of home. The colours are vibrant and the subject matter is familiar. In the paintings you can see their graphic design origins, leading to a more figurative, painterly result. The ochres we are so used to in Malta are awash in all the works. We see figures, architecture, animals and ephemera come together in a festival of what makes the Portuguese and Maltese cultures so similar. The people that they paint all condense what the artists call ‘slow culture’.
The passing of time is, in the paintings, so different to the fast-paced life that is consuming both countries. This is the strongest sentiment you experience when walking through it. The works are titled in the language of each other’s country, almost blurring which place each is showing.
The exhibition shows not only paintings; the research of both artists is shown in a large display of sketchbooks and drawings across pieces of paper, presented near all the graphic content that inspired the artists throughout their journey. Bus tickets, hand-written receipts, beer bottle stickers and other printed material show us where their original inspirations for the paintings came from. A collaborative installation on ceramic tile ties the two artists together, as they borrow from the Portuguese archetype to create a shared work.
Ngħaddu ż-Żmien has political undertones, but also a beautiful artistic quality. The two painters seem to condense a common feeling and audiences have reacted enthusiastically to what they have done.
Don’t miss this one!
The exhibition runs till the 18th of July and is supported by the Malta Society of Arts, APS Bank, Uber, Rubicon, Frendo Advisory, Stretta Beer, Attard & Co, iLab Photo.
Opening times are Monday and Friday: 9am until 7pm, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday: 9am until 12pm, 4pm until 7PM, Saturday 9am until 1pm.