Sacred Art in Malta

One of Marco Cremona's Stations of the Cross at Mellieha Parish Church

Just back from a great holiday in Malta where one of the things I enjoyed was checking out the art on the island. Having read Malta: Six Modern Artists, (Malta University Services, 1991) and Sacred Art in Malta 1890-1960 (Said International Ltd, 1990), I knew that some fascinating work had been done by modern Maltese artists and was looking forward to the chance to see some of that work. Among the highlights for me were visits to the National Museum of Fine Arts, the Cathedral Museum at Mdina and seeing the Stations of the Cross at Mellieha Parish Church and Gozo Cathedral.

In his Agony in the Garden, at the National Museum of Fine Arts, Frank Portelli divides the picture plane in two. In the left half, Christ prays below a silver cup of suffering amidst a disturbance of reds and purples while, in the other half, three disciples sleep in the white heat of a seista sun. Portelli's green Christ, through his acceptance of his purpose, is alive, awake and fertile in a dry and barren landscape. Antoine Camilleri, focused on the crucifixion itself in his construction, Xandru L-Imhabba (Preach Love), which uses a TV aerial for the cross from which a thin but vigorously arching Christ hangs. Willie Apap's Benedizione sets the central figure of Christ in a column of God's light as he blesses the woman who kneels at his feet.

Mdina's Cathedral Museum has a selection of works by Anton Agius which include a wonderful Redemption. Agius carves in olive-wood and here he follows the grain of the wood upwards as a naked Eve stretches up to touch the feet of the crucified Christ (the one who can embrace her as his unashamed Bride). Agius work continues to draw our eyes up the body of Christ to his nailed right hand which is releasing the dove of the Spirit. This work contains the sweep of salvation history within one fluid and organic image.

Many of the pioneers of Modern Art in Malta, despite their open use of Christian imagery, where not initially commssioned for the decoration of Malta's many Churches. However, their pioneering work has now opened doors for current and future generations and I was able to see two examples of the opportunities that are now available in the Stations at Mellieha Parish Church and Gozo Cathedral. At Mellieha, Marco Cremona has carved Stations of the Cross in clay. His Stations are characterised by the expressiveness of his carving, the clarity of his construction and his sense of setting with his choice of clay leading to a rugged construction that mirrors the Maltese landscape. Austin Camilleri makes use of the fluid nature of paint working with drips of paint flowing down his canvas to mirror the downward postures of his characters in a series of Stations emphasising the apparent defeat of hope that is the disciples experience of the death of Christ on Good Friday.

Unfortunately, there seems to be very little either in print or on the web about the innovative sacred art work of Maltese artists. Many publications speak about them purely in regional terms but their work deserves to be much more widely known and appreciated. One site that does make the attempt to survey sacred art in Malta (although its illustrations tend to be of the more conservative examples of contemorary artists' work and it doesn't not include the current generation like Marco Cremona and Austin Camilleri) can be found by clicking here. Other useful lists of Maltese artists can be found here, here and here.