2nd Exhibition Visit

St. James Cavalier Exhibition

Xebgha Nies

This exhibition featured works by various artists. I chose the works by Marisa Attard as I've been influenced by her use of mixed media, contrast in colours and her creative ideas.

"Pastizz": I really like the fact that she used a real small piece of a typical Maltese paper bag. The colours used are creating such an amazing composition and contrast. It's showing a typical Maltese man sitting in a bar having a "pastizz" and a drink.

"Bar Code": I like how the work is compared with the title. The table of the bar has that texture and pattern of a "bar code" while the men are having a drink near the bar. This work has a variety of patterns and textures which are really contrastable.

"Blow!": This work really reflects the title. It is showing a couple which are walking while in the background there are people which are being blown away by the wind. The use of orange and red really brings out the couple in the work.

 "Tombola": I like the tones and shades of greens with oranges. It shows typical traditional Maltese women playing the game which is known as "tombola". 

"A Perfect Balance": It has an interesting composition and contrast in both colour and size. It seems that someone is holding the large women with some kind of stick or rope, and the women herself is holding a tiny man. This picture has a sense of repetition in a way.

Bibliography

Date of visit: 5-3-14

Names of practitioners: Marisa Attard

Title of Exhibition: Xebgha Nies

Place: St. James Cavalier, Valletta

1st Exhibition Visit

St. James Cavalier Exhibition

Eccentricks

I really like these works because they are modern and original. It's really interesting that they have a different composition and interpretation. They also have a sense of a typical Maltese culture and tradition, but their composition is interpreted in an original and modern way. For example: the red telephone box's shape is changed completely to create an original and abstract effect, the chair has two wheels were you can put your arms, the toilet's design and pattern is that similar to the Maltese luzzu, the clocks happen to imitate the old vintage grand father clock and the bike which looks like the chair. These works influenced me to keep working and focusing on abstract and original designs which has a touch of something which is coming from the past and which is old or that of a typical tradition.

Bibliography

Date of visit: 5-3-14

Names of practitioners: Emanuel Bonnici

Title of Exhibition: Eccentricks

Place: St. James Cavalier, Valletta 

History Of Design

The Arts And Crafts Movement

Before spreading across America and Europe, The Arts And Crafts Movement first started in Britain around 1880. The main founders of The Arts And Crafts Movement were John Ruskin and William Morris (1860's-1910). There were numerous characteristics that described The Arts And Crafts Movement clearly, such as: more geometric and abstract, rejection of industrialization, hand-made, simplicity of form, traditional crafts, rejection of industrialization and plain linear shapes which were inspired by plants and nature.

John Ruskin

John Ruskin which was born on the 8th of February in 1819, was an Architect, a critic and a writer which wrote the book named 'The Stones of Venice'. In this book, he wrote an essay titled 'The Nature Of Gothic', where he praises the medieval architecture and the Gothic. 

William Morris

He was inspired by natural colours and motifs, figuration, medieval art and high patterns. His works were mainly made with textiles.

Valentino's Fall 2013 tapestry cotton guipure dress, happens to have the design similar to that of  William Morris.  

Bibliography

Notes taken during the lesson

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/t/the-arts-and-crafts-movement/

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/Jruskin.htm

http://homedesign.marthastewart.com/tag/arts-biennale

http://www.artyfactory.com/art_appreciation/graphic_designers/william_morris.html

http://www.voysey.gotik-romanik.de/Morris,%20Designs,%20on%20Flickr,%20Thumbnails/'Snakeshead'%20textile%20design%20by%20William%20Morris,%20produced%20by%20Morris%20&Co%20in%201876..html

http://www.voysey.gotik-romanik.de/Morris,%20Designs,%20on%20Flickr,%20Thumbnails/'Snakeshead'%20textile%20design%20by%20William%20Morris,%20produced%20by%20Morris%20&%20Co%20in%201876.%20(2).html

http://www.voysey.gotik-romanik.de/Morris,%20Designs,%20on%20Flickr,%20Thumbnails/'Strawberry%20thief'%20textile%20design%20by%20William%20Morris,%20produced%20by%20Morris%20&%20Co%20in%201883.%20(2).html

http://maydele.blogspot.com/2013/11/shop-runway-valentino-fall-winter-201314.html

http://www.socialregister.co.uk/william-morris/