I love plumbago. It’s messy, it’s sticky, it sprawls in an ungainly fashion, and it’s now used in almost every roadside verge as ground cover to hide dusty soil. But enough of its ‘faults’.

What really draws me to Plumbago is its luminous blue; the flowers are impressive in full sun, which it thrives on, but even more beautiful at dusk when it seems to shine out of the shadows. In fact, Plumbago is an altogether very useful shrub/climber to hide and improve those awkward corners of gardens (or public highway verges), unsightly walls or barren earth.

Now to some brief Plumbago facts, without getting too academic…

What’s in its name?
Apparently, the name has something to do with lead – the Latin word for lead being Plumbum. It may have been its lead-blue flowers that inspired the name. Apparently, Pliny the Elder (23-79) believed the plant to have the power to cure lead poisoning. But Plumbago doesn’t just come in blue – it can be white, pink or purple. Was Plumbago only blue in Pliny’s time?

What’s the sticky bit about?
The flower’s inner part has hairs which secrete a sticky mucilage that is capable of trapping and killing insects. This may be to prevent crawlers like ants from entering since they don’t typically pollinate plants. The stickiness is impressive – brush against a Plumbago and expect to spend an hour picking bits out of your hair! At least it gives my cat something to do.

And a last word about it – Plumbago is happy without a drink, so very useful for Malta with our dearth of rain for the next three to four months.

Calling all tango lovers, novices too, to come experience Argentinian Tango at a combo event featuring tango and art this weekend. The event, run by Tektika Tango, kicks off on at 8pm on Thursday 29th April with the opening of the exhibition and demo dancing, but continues with an intensive weekend workshop with Maestros Gisela Natoli and Gustavo Rosas.

A free taster class of Tango takes place on Saturday 1st May from 8pm to 9pm at the Phoenicia Hotel, Valletta (open to all, but booking required!), followed by a milonga (dance evening) where the maestros Gisela Natoli and Gustavo Rosas will be exhibiting in two dances.

The art exhibition features the works of six artists brought together by their love of tango which they depict through paintings, calligraphy, photography, drawings and sculpture.

Booking:
To book, see the Tektika webiste here.
To book the maestro sessions you can also email Nathalie on bookings@tektikatango.com

Exhibition details:
Artists participating: Six artists – Stephanie Borg, Gordon Pace Flores, Bernard Bonnici, Sergio Muscat, Gordon Knox and Rupert Cefai – are exhibiting their work under a common theme, Argentine Tango. The exhibition is open for the general Public from Friday 30th April 2010 to Sunday 23rd May 2010.

Painting Photo courtesy of Stephanie Borg.

Edward Caruana Dingli (1876-1950) is without doubt one of the finest artists Malta has ever produced. His love for all that was beautiful and his impeccable eye for detail, coupled with an unfaltering technique, produced the most appealing and charming of paintings of the 20th century. Patrimonju Malti, a non-profit-making heritage foundation, is bringing some 250 of Caruana Dingli’s paintings together in a magnificent exhibition running in May in Valletta.

If you are a visitor to Malta, and don’t know of Caruana Dingli, the exhibition will give you an amazing insight into not only Malta’s rich artistic heritage, but also a glimpse into Island life and Maltese personalities of times past.

About the man

Born into an artistic family in Valletta in 1876, Caruana Dingli had a knack for drawing from a very young age. In 1913 he gave up his military service to fulfil his long standing ambition of becoming a full-time artist. He was well connected with the Maltese elite as well as the British government in Malta, and as a result had no problem finding work. His talent and dedication saw him rise to the top in his field, and he in fact led the artistic scene in Malta through the first half of the 20th century. Artistically, he was direct heir to Giuseppe Cali, his friend and mentor, and passed the baton on to his own students at the Malta Government School of Art. Edward Caruana Dingli continued painting until his death in 1950.

His subjects and technique

Primarily a portrait painter in oils, his sitters included some of the most prominent figures of Maltese society, as well as nobility, politicians, clerics and prelates. They were portrayed wearing their most lavish clothing, jewellery and badges of office. Caruana Dingli had the superb ability to capture his sitter’s personality and to immortalise it on canvas. His portraits are both captivating and engaging. His male figures exalt pride, power and earnestness, while his female portraits depict sensuality, elegance and sophistication.

In contrast, his folkloristic themes, mainly in watercolour, celebrate the spirit of the Maltese countryside, its coast and village squares. His numerous street scenes include farmers returning with their flocks, hawkers at markets and children playing traditional street games. Whatever the subject, his paintings are characterised by a prominent verve and charm, accentuated through his unpolished brushwork of rich brilliant colour.

The Exhibition
‘Edward Caruana Dingli – Portraits, Views and Folkloristic Scenes’

Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti is giving visitors the opportunity to enjoy 250 of his most remarkable works, brought together from collections around Europe. Patrimonju is resuming its prestigious exhibitions after several years working on the restoration of Palazzo Falson, which is now open as a Historic House Museum in Mdina. The palazzo holds frequent art, culture and heritage talks and events like these. So do check its calender.

Opening Times
The exhibition is open daily from the 8 May – 6 June, 10.00-17.00hrs, at the Palace in Valletta. An exhibition catalogue will accompany the event. For more information, visit patrimonju.org.

We list the Christmassy things to do on the Maltese Islands this festive season. We all know (and usually love) the regular pantomimes that run throughout the holiday weeks, but there’s a host of other seasonal things to do. We’ve the overtly religious and the less religious, but fun and festive – ranging from the magical carol concert in St John’s Co-Cathedral, Valletta, to fun events like theatre for the kids.

So, scroll on down the long list, and take your pick from the bunch. See also our What’s On for a whole lot more…

Cribs & Nativity

Christmas Village at Ghajnsielem, Gozo
6 December – 9 January 2010
Details: Bethlehem in Ghajnsielem website
Ghajnsielem Local Council has come up with a new and unique attraction this year – a Nativity Village which is set up just off the town’s main square. It includes an animated crib as well as a mock-up village with a carpenter, blacksmith’s, bakery, a market selling natural fruits, fresh fish and vegetables, a tavern, a local crafts area and a stable hosting the animals. For more information contact Ghajnsielem Local Council
Email: info@ghajnsielem.com

Christmas at the Inquisitor’s Palace
Friday 11th December at 19.00 hrs.
Heritage Malta is organising a Christmas-themed ‘experience’ at the Inquisitors Palace, Vittoriosa. The event includes a tour of the miniature cribs on permanent display, and a crib and pasturi (figurine) making session and a themed supper. Ideal for all the family.
Tickets from the Inquisitors Palace, The National Museum of Fine Arts the Domvs Romana and the Museum of Archaeology in Gozo. For details, contact Judy Camilleri on 22954312.

Christmas Cribs Exhibition, Auberge d’Italie, Valletta,
19 December 2009 – 6 January, 2010
The Tourism Secretariat and the Malta Tourism Authority join forces with the Ghaqda Hbieb tal-Presepju, (Malta), to put on a Christmas Cribs exhibition inside the premises of the Secretariat at the Auberge D’Italie.
25 cribs on display together with two impressive floral decorations and numerous paintings and ceramic and displays. One particular crib features Herod’s temple.
Times: open daily from with the exception of 25 December, 1 January and Sundays. 09:00 to 18.00hrs, Monday to Friday; and 09:30 – 12:30 on Saturdays. Entrance is free.
Details: and to find out about Malta’s crib traditions visit: www.presepjumalta.org.

Carol Concerts, Church Mass & Music

St George’s Square XMAS Events, Valletta, 10 December, from 17.00.
17:00 – Concert by Tenor Aldo Busuttil and the University Junior College Orchestra
18:30 – March by the National Philharmonic Society La Valette and the King’s Own Band Club
19:30 – Musical concert by the Valletta Band Clubs
Note: St George’s Square has events on other days in December: 11, 12, 16, 18,19, 20, 21 (Malta Police Band Xmas concert, 21st & 24th), 22 (Malta Armed Forces Xmas Concert).

‘Musical Tidings’, choral concert by The New Choral Singers
St Francis Church, Valletta
12 December, 20.00
Details: www.thenewchoralsingers.com
The programme includes traditional carols from medieval times and the renaissance through to contemporary works. Audience participation for some popular numbers!
Entrance: Free but a collection will be held in aid of Caritas Malta.
Email: info@thenewchoralsingers.com

Mass for School Children at St John’s Co-Cathedral, Valletta
16 December, 11.30
See Cathedral website for details.

Ceremony of Carols at St John’s Co-Cathedral, Valletta
17 December, 19.30 – 22.30
A Ceremony of Carols is The Amadeus Chamber Choir’s 19th edition of ‘A Prelude to Christmas’. It comprises a selection of traditional Christmas carols, featuring compositions by Benjamin Britten which the 30-strong choir sing to the accompaniment of a chamber orchestra. All proceeds will be in aid of Puttinu Cares.
Entrance: Invitations may be acquired against a donation of €5 per person.
Invitations available at: Lotto Office Kiosk, Valletta (opposite BOV in Republic Street) – mob. 7920 0118
Marlow’s Stationery, Triq il-Qasam Swieqi – mob. 9989 0931, tel. 2137 1210, or
Email: theamadeuschoir@gmail.com

A Christmas Celebration, St Paul’s Cathedral, Mdina Cathedral, Mdina.
18 December, 19.30 – 21.00.
The St Monica Choir will be teaming with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra once again for a concert that’s billed as ‘a perfect introduction to the festive season’. The event will be held under the patronage of H.E. Dr George Abela and Mrs Abela to raise funds for the Community Chest Fund. Conductor: Michael Laus.

Carol Concerts & Christmas Mass: St Paul’s Pro-Cathedral (Anglican), Valletta, and other Anglican churches in Malta.
Various concerts and services in the run-up to Christmas. For details, see: www.anglicanmalta.org
11 December: Arlene Barlow’s Christmas Concert 19.30 pm
16 December: Ecumenical Carol Service – Fontana Parish Church Gozo
20 December: Nine Lessons & Carols – Pro Cathedral, Valletta 18.00
21 December: Nine Lessons & Carols – Holy Trinity Church, Sliema 18.30
23 December: Eucharist, Lessons and Carols – Seminary Gozo 11.00
24 December: Midnight Mass – St Paul’s Pro-Cathedral 23.30
24 December: Midnight Mass – Holy Trinity 23.30
Christmas Day Service – Holy Trinity 10.00
Christmas Day Service – St Paul’s Pro-Cathedral 11.00

Enkor Gospel Choir, St James’ Church, Merchants Street, Valletta
19 December, 13.30

Vocal & Harp Reciptal, St Barbara Church, Valletta
23 December, 11.00

Special Outdoor Events

St George’s Square XMAS Events, Valletta, 8 December
Parades, face-painting, brass bands, concerts and more, at this public holiday event in the capital. Starts at 11.00 with the Scout and Guide parade and goes on into the evening with a gospel choir at 8pm.

Kids

Pantomine (in Maltese): Robin ‘inn’ Cruise Ohhhhh!,
St. Mary’s Church – Gudja
5, 6, 7 & 8 December. 19.30 – 20.00.
Tickets: tel: 7920 3805
Another rip-roaring panto by the Gudja Youth Group. Robin ‘ZINN’ Cruise Ohhhhh! promises to be in the full panto spirit of song, dance and wacky costumes. Good all-round family entertainment.

The Children’s Magical Christmas
8 December, by drama group Curtain Raiser at Buskett Roadhouse, Buskett Gardens, 10.00 – 20.00
All day long Christmas activities for children with five different interactive shows, as well as bouncy Castles, christmas treasure hunt with Captain Hook, face painting, children’s Christmas disco, Christmas food stalls, Christmas characters such as gingerbread man, snowman, Father Christmas, elves and more …
Details: tel: 2189-5072 / 7991-8857 or email: info@curtainraiser.org> or see www.curtainraiser.org.

Fantasy Circus
10 December – 3 January, 2010, venue: Blata l-Bajda (approach to Valletta)
Ticket hotlines: 99999964/ 71494106/ 99515042
Price: Adults €10; Children €5

Downtown Fairytown, a musical Christmas bash for children aged 3-7 at St James Cavalier, Valletta.
19 December – 10 January
Talking houses, aliens visiting at Christmas time, fairies preparing for their Christmas show, a nasty Witch ready to spoil all the fun, a robot who wants to know all about Christmas, and much more!
Monday – Wednesday shows at 6pm
Thursday: No shows
Saturday – Sunday shows at 2pm and 6pm

Santa’s Kingdom, Splash & Fun Grounds
18 December – 3 January, 2010. 18.00 – 23.55.
See: www.splashandfun.com.mt or call: 21 374286.
Billed as two weeks of magic, music and merriment. Visit the Enchanted Forest and walk through Santa’s House. Meet Santa, Mrs Claus and those mischievous little elves. A Fairytale come to life. Plus crib, animated figures and the Christmas story relived.

Aladdin, The Pantomine, Manoel Theatre, Valletta
18 December 2009 – 6 January, 20.00hrs.
Details & Tickets see: Manoel Theatre website
Masquerade presents a traditional pantomime at the Manoel Theatre. New ideas may be, but set in a traditional context, with a well-written and locally-based script. A must for pantomime lovers.
Performance dates: Mon – Fri at 7.30pm; Sat & Sun 3pm & 8pm; and from Saturday 2nd January 2010 to Wednesday 6th January 2010:
Time: Mon – Fri at 7.30pm; Sat & Sun 3pm & 8pm.

Peter Panto at MFCC, Ta’ Qali
18 December 2009 – 3 January 2010.
Runs: 20.00 to 23.00 hrs.
Details, see: Malta Amateur Dramatic Company website.
The MADC presents a fresh take on the classic tale of Peter Pan with a script written by Nanette Brimmer and directed by Alan Montanaro, who is also playing Captain Hook. The MADC has secured the services of Nick Kirkby, whose great-grandfather took care of the flying for J.M. Barrie in the original production of ‘Peter Pan’!
Tickets start from Euro 10. Children’s tickets are discounted and are valid for children aged 10 and under. Booking is open at www.madc.biz or tel. no: 7979MADC (6232).

Photo: courtesy of Bethlehem of Ghajnsielem

Malta’s aspiring artists and photographers are getting good at sniffing out new venues in which to exhibit their work. There aren’t that many galleries around hosting contemporary artists (St James Cavalier, the Museum of Fine Arts, and No. 68 do a lot to help, and there are few other private ones around…). Many up and coming artists are turning to the more pioneering of Malta’s cafes to seek exhibition venues. Cafes in return use their walls to support the arts, give themselves a more art-house feel and make their environments all the more welcoming for their patrons.

Exhibition Venue
A new cafe on the block – New Zealand-style cafe ‘Mint’, in Sliema – is aligning itself quickly with deserving creatives. This weekend sees its walls hosting a small, but eclectic collection of photography by Anne Muscat-Scerri and Amanda Holmes.

About the Exhibition
Anne and Amanda usually concentrate on family and child photography, so this display marks a departure for them – in fact there’s not a person in sight. “The last time we put our photos on show, we were newcomers to the scene. So it made sense for us to exhibit pictures of children – the subject matter we feel most comfortable with,” says Amanda. Both women are mothers to families of three young girls and mostly find themselves pointing the lens at their offspring. “This time though we realised it would be a good challenge to display completely different subjects that enable us to explore different styles from the whimsical to semi-abstract.

“Photography is a great medium for capturing the beauty and capriciousness of everyday life. For this collection, our aim was to reflect our immediate surroundings in a surprising way, questioning our view of the supposedly mundane. All the pictures have been taken in Malta, some of very typical subjects, yet the photos are anything but typically Maltese,” explains Amanda.

So at Mint you’ll find for example a boat picture, that’s not the typical image of a brightly-painted luzzu, but that captures a detail of a hull with muted colours and many repairs, testifying to the harsh conditions boats and their crews encounter. The two photographers wanted to show pictures of objects and scenes that people would chance upon in their daily life, but they’ve taken the shots in a way that could surprise and perhaps make us re-evaluate our environment.

Cafe opening times
Exhibition runs from 5 Dec – early February 2010.
Mint: 30/39 Luzio Junction/Stella Maris Street. Open Tues-Sat 09.30-19.00; Sun 10.30-19.00.
www.mintmalta.com
For more info, contact: Amanda or Anne and see also: cloudberryimages.com.

Photo: Anne Muscat Scerri.

A photo exhibition entitled ‘The Absence of Presence’ by Maltese photojournalist Darrin Zammit Lupi captures the lives of the people of L’Aquila, in Abruzzo, Italy, following the devastation wrought by the earthquake there in April this year.

Darrin Zammit Lupi was in the L’Aquila region just days after the catastrophe which killed 297 people. Some 40 photos from his reportage form the exhibition which runs at the MITP theatre space in the Old University, St Christopher Street, Valletta until 6 August, weekdays, from 17.00-20.00.

Appropriately, given its theatrical setting, the photos have been displayed almost as an installation. The impermanence of the emergency tent towns in Darrin’s photos seems to mirror the temporary nature and illusory space of the theatre with its remnants of seating positioned around acting as stands for the photos.

The snowy peaks of the Apennines stand proud and unmoving as the backdrop to several photos. Yet, we know they are the root of danger despite their illusion of grandeur and beauty. The theatrical analogy goes further as we walk on the 3m x 2m photo of rubble and debris that has been deliberately placed on the floor.

Darrin Zammit Lupi says he isn’t making any judgements or claims in his photos but has chosen this way of staging of the photos to enable us to feel the atmosphere and think about the disaster.

No. 68, the Valletta art gallery that keeps on surprising us, is running an exhibition examining ‘The Life Model’. Subtitled ‘Between Nude and Naked’, the exhibition features seven artists who cover different genre of visual art. It runs until 31 July to coincide with the Malta Arts Festival.

The No 68 programme describes the nude “as a conceptual and artistic category, always involved the notion of an ideal abstracted from the reality we confront in our everyday lives”. The objective of this exhibition is “to engage the audience in public debate and look at the history of our acceptance of nudity and on the bareness of the naked body and how this can sum up everything to which we aspire and everything we most fear”.

So, be a voyeur, visit No. 68 while you can, and size up your own body and ideals, fears and fantasies against the artistic interpretations you find there.

Participating Artists:
Vince Briffa (Malta)
Antony Calleja (Malta)
Jeni Caruana (Malta)
Patrick Dalli (Malta)
Alexandra Pace (Malta)
Astrid Steinbrecher (Germany)
Zygimantas Augustinas (Lithuania)

Artist Patrick J. Fenech is curator for “The Life Model”.

Exhibition runs: 3 – 31 July 09
No. 68, St Lucy Street, Valletta
Monday to Friday – 10am to 1pm & 2pm to 6pm
Saturday and Sunday -10am to 1pm
Admission: Free

See also: No. 68 blog.

There’s one more week to catch a highly-intriguing group exhibition of video entitled ‘The World Next Door’ at Malta Contemporary Art (MCA) in Marsa. The exhibition, curated by exhibitor Ruth Bianco (Malta), hosts works also by artists from Palestine, Greece, India, UK, Canada, Philippines and Turkey.

Ruth Bianco explains the reasoning behind the theme and the chosen works and artists:

“The idea for this exhibition grew out of a continuing interest with the “notion of territory”. The participants are all artists I’ve met on my travels while they themselves were “away from home”, engaged in fine art research. It is within this ongoing context of interrogation and travel that I would like to introduce the works in this joint exhibition. This implies that the work is contextually fluid and nomadic – open-ended, questioning journeys, rather than closures. The show, therefore, is “a-topic” in that the works resist fixture and examine “territory” through temporality.”

The exhibition runs until 28 June at: MCA, 8 Off Racecourse Street, Marsa.

About MCA
MCA is a non-profit cultural organisation founded in October 2008 as Malta’s first art centre focusing entirely on Contemporary Art.

Its main function is that of a public gallery showcasing international and local emerging and established visual artists through a programme of solo and group exhibitions curated by MCA and invited professionals.
A series of talks and fora in related fields as well as a programme of artist films and independent documentary has been set up. An education programme, film production house and online journal are in the making.

For more on the exhibition and MCA itself, see:
www.maltacontemporaryart.com
email:info@maltacontemporaryart.com
Facebook: Malta Contemporary Art

Photo: Still of video by exhibitor Leah Dector (Canada).

Kinemastik was founded in 2006 by a group of people from across Europe who share a great passion for film and theatre. Their aim is to satisfy the need for alternative, or as they call it, fringe film on the Maltese islands, while creating ‘an environment in which art and culture may flourish outside of the mainstream’.

Throughout the year, Kinemastik offers a diverse cultural programme. Every week, they hold their very popular film nights in various fringe locations around Malta including No 68 Art Gallery and MCA (Malta Contemporary Art gallery). They collaborate also with international festivals, filmmakers, musicians and artists to organise music nights, workshops and a much-needed space for the sharing and fusion of ideas.

Their greatest achievement every year is their International Film Festival (entry applications are available on the Kinemastik website). The finale of this festival is held at Gnien il-Gardjola, within the Valletta bastions overlooking the grand harbour; a perfect location for this open-air cinema bonanza.

Also, if you fancy something that bit different this Saturday, 30 May, Kinemastik is holding ‘The Exploding Cinema’ – a night of short films, followed by a debut concert of Bark Bark Disco and more music by Djs Bob and Vinc. Doors open at 9pm and entrance is EUR7, at the Ospizio Bastions in Floriana. More information can be found on Facebook.

See www.kinemastik.org for more information about their highly-acclaimed summer film festival and other events.

If you’re planning to visit Valletta as part of your holiday itinerary, you’d do well to include a visit to what is arguably the islands’ cultural hub: the St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity, housed in, but seemingly ‘hewn out’ of one of the fortress bastions straddling Valletta’s city gate.

The building’s renovation and conversion from gloomy vaulted bastion into a vast contemporary, cultural centre with open spaces and light was the work of leading Maltese architect Richard England. Love the conversion or hate it, the centre has proved a very valuable space in Malta for all things cultural and arty; so much so that most of us can’t imagine where some events were held before. Launched in 2000, the centre was created to support the contemporary creative culture. Simply by arriving on the scene, the centre has expanded the range and often quality of arts’ events in Malta.

It manages to house, in an intimate atmosphere despite the building’s size, an array of exhibition areas, a cinema, a theatre in the round and a music room, along with its Inspirations café with al fresco patio, and a fine dining restaurant. Both eateries are very popular and not just with those attending events.

This place has become a one-stop-shop for operas, plays, musicals, exhibitions of contemporary pieces as well as past masters, classical and popular concerts and recitals. It holds a wealth of activities aimed at kids, including a regular Saturday club offering crafts, drama, story-telling and more. St James’ cinema shows some of the finest contemporary films as well as numerous foreign language films generally not screened at the popular cinemas. It’s a great place to catch up on films you missed first time round; you’re usually guaranteed a quiet auditorium without rustling wrappers and fidgets!

Apart from its creative pull, St James’ attracts too for its history. The building is, in fact, a feat of military architecture. Designed in 1569 by the Knights of St John, its original purpose was to provide raised gun-platforms to counteract land attacks. Since then, the fortified building has been used as a food store by the British Armed Forces, and later to house a government printing press. All this, before it underwent it last conversion to the centre for creativity.

For its calendar of events, check the St James’ Cavalier website.