Marking The Shift’s three year anniversary, 20 of Malta’s top artists have kindly donated their work to support our efforts in investigative journalism.

All of us at The Shift are incredibly honoured to receive their endorsement. We are proud that they are taking a stand in support of our goals.

The proceeds from the sale of the 22 artworks shown below will go to supporting our investigations into corruption as well as our advocacy for press freedom. The price of each painting was set by the artist.

Due to COVID-19, we are unable to organise an event to get the chance to interact with you and the artists who are supporting this fundraising effort. But we’ve made alternative arrangements.

Our display at Studio 87 has come to an end, but the remaining artworks can still be viewed by appointment. Please call 9932 4466 to schedule a visit as COVID-19 restrictions will apply. Purchases are only possible through Studio 87.

THE ARTISTS

(From left) Debbie Caruana Dingli, Sebastian Tanti Burlo’, Isabel Warrington, Catherine Cavallo, Luciano Micallef, Roberta Zammit Cutajar, Pawl Carbonaro, Celia Borg Cardona, James Vella Clark, Joseph Farrugia, Richard Saliba, Michelle Gianlanze, Tonio Mallia, Anna Galea, Anna Grima, Bob Cardona, Ray Piscopo, Marisa Attard, Victor Manduca and Madeleine Gera.

 

THE WORKS

1. Pawl Carbonaro

‘Senglea’ – Framed oil on canvas – 55 x 66cm

Price: €1300 – SOLD

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Pawl Carbonaro is a renowned Maltese artist whose career has been marked by numerous achievements throughout the years, including a scholarship at the Accademia delle Belle Arti, Florence, and exhibitions at the National Museum of Fine Arts, Galleria Fenici, the Biennale Internacional de Ibiza, Spain, the Third Biennale d’Arte Contemporanea Botticelli, Florence, and the Centro di Cultura Mediterranea, Palermo, among others. Recent collaborations include local artists Austin Camilleri and Vince Briffa, and Carbonaro has exhibited his abstract work in Dar Brussels and in a collective and a personal exhibition respectively, titled Carart, in Lausanne Switzerland.

 

2. Celia Borg Cardona

‘Getting There’ – Framed acrylic – 40 x 37cm

Price: €850 –  SOLD

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Celia Borg Cardona is fascinated by the patterns that groups of people make as they interact. The high viewpoint is very often employed and emphasises this. The empty spaces are integral to the compositions and give psychological substance to the people who inhabit them. Her paintings, usually in oil and large in dimension, are of people as they gather in everyday life situations; in large crowds or more intimate meetings. Celia’s paintings are found in many private and corporate collections, including MUZA, the European Parliament and the Vatican. She has held regular exhibitions in Malta and has also exhibited in Brussels, Tunis, Rome, Torino, London and Paris.

 

 

3. Tonio Mallia

‘Sopu Tower Gozo’ – Framed watercolour – 76 x 59cm

Price: €750 – SOLD

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Tonio Mallia began his artistic career as a painter some 25 years ago. He is a dedicated exponent of the watercolour medium and started as a painter of landscapes. In recent years, he has developed his technique to use other water-based media such as inks, acrylics, and gouache painted on different types of hand made and rice papers. His preferred subject matter is figure and portrait painting, however, he also takes great satisfaction in painting landscapes outdoors which complements his love for nature. He has displayed his works extensively both in solo and collective exhibitions.

 

4. Sebastian Tanti Burlò

‘Ta’ l-ahhar’ – signed Print 2/2 – 42 x 60 cm

Price: €450 – SOLD

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Sebastian Tanti Burlo’ is a political cartoonist and artist, “currently working from the captured state of Malta”. His cartoons are published weekly in The Times of Malta, as well in other international publications. Graduated in Architecture and Urban Studies from the University of Westminster (London), his work combines current affairs, art, writing, and splashes and lashes of ink to create a socio-commentary of today’s times.

 

5. Rupert Cefai

‘Children Playing in The Fountains’ – Unframed acrylic on canvas – 60 x 120cm

This artwork was donated by one of our readers.

Price: €1400 – SOLD

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Rupert Cefai’s work reflects his own enjoyment of all subjects ranging from the human figure through to abstracts and landscapes, showing his fascination with that blend and balance in art, that stands on the line between the real and the abstract. His main exhibitions reflect the inspiration he finds in different aspects of life such as everyday human experiences. He has exhibited in Malta, London and Rome.

This artwork was donated by one of our readers.

 

6. Anna Grima

Inland Sea – Unframed mixed media on canvas – 90 x 90cm

Price: €1200 – RESERVED

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Although considered a figurative artist, Anna Grima’s recent works include abstract paintings which depict spontaneous, simplified rhythmic shapes and saturated hues and colours. Other interdisciplinary art practices include illustration, creative writing and digital design. Her paintings have been exhibited nationally and internationally and hang in many private and public spaces including at the Summa Artis Permanent Collection in the Berlaymont Building, Brussels. Some of her illustrations have been published by Unicef, Holo Books -The Women’s History Press, Oxford, Sophia Centre Master Monographs, Groningen University, the University of Malta, Maltapost, and Cadogan.

 

7. Catherine Cavallo

‘Saplings and Poppies’ – Framed oil on canvas – 62 x 51 cm

Price: €350 – SOLD

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Catherine Cavallo graduated from The City & Guilds London Art School with honours. She was awarded a fellowship by UNESCO to attend a course in textile conservation at Hampton Court Palace, London. In 1994, she held a solo exhibition in Via Banchi di Sopra in Siena, before moving back to Malta in 1995.

 

8. Madeleine Gera

‘Here Comes The Band’ – Framed oil on canvas – 120 x 80cm

Price: €1200

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Madeleine Gera is a figurative painter with a focus of interest in portraits. In 1990, she was awarded a long term scholarship to study art in Florence and returned to the city in 2002 till 2010, developing her skills as a portrait painter. For Madeleine, painting is about recording and depicting her subject in specific light conditions and interpreting the subtle inflections and changes that occur when painting from life. Madeleine has participated in collective exhibitions in various European cities and has had numerous solo exhibitions in Malta. In 2016, Madeleine participated in the Venice Architecture Biennale with Architecture Project’s Cabinet of Curiosities.

 

9. Luciano Micallef

‘Fort St. Angelo’ – Framed, hand screen printed, signed and numbered (limited edition 50 prints) – 30 x 40cm

Price: €190 – SOLD

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Luciano Micallef studied painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, Italy. In 1990 he was offered an artist in residence programme at the Virginia Centre for the Creative Arts in the USA. Soon after, he won the International Visitors Programme, visiting various important art institutions throughout the country. Luciano has exhibited in museums and private galleries in Europe, Asia, the USA and Australia. In 1996, Gallery 5, his own private gallery was inaugurated. The University of Malta published a book about his works in 1993. He launched another book entitled ‘Abstracts’ in 2006.

 

10. James Vella Clark

‘Orange Light’ – Unframed acrylics on deep edge canvas – 60 x 60cm

Price: €900 – SOLD

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James Vella Clark is one of Malta’s main expressionist interpreters of the Maltese urban and rural landscape. Since his first exhibition in 2001, his works have been gradually gaining a more abstract dimension. These eventually became part of a natural process that led to his current abstract work. Today, the artist’s main idiom is abstraction which lends mostly to the abstract expressionist movement of the fifties and sixties. If we could speak of a movement or school of expressionism in Malta, James Vella Clark would definitely belong to it. Besides a number of solo exhibitions in Malta, James Vella Clark has held personal exhibitions in Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Australia and New York. Over the years he was also invited to participate in collective exhibitions in Barcelona, Florence, Brussels, Duisburg, Vienna, and London.

 

11. Richard Saliba

Gozo Landscape – Framed – 40 x 25cm

Price: €500 – SOLD

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Richard Saliba is best known for his signature way of interpreting the Maltese landscape. Since 1975, he has exhibited in numerous personal and collective exhibitions. His work may be found in the collections of the National Museum of Fine Arts, Valletta, the Cathedral Museum, Mdina, and in many other public and private collections. For a decade from 1980, he dedicated his efforts to the production of abstract art, both through his painting and also by means of etching techniques. In recent years, without abandoning his interest in landscape painting, he has also sought to re-invent himself with a renewed interest in drawing and painting of the human figure and particularly of portrait painting.

 

12. Anna Galea

‘Burst of Spring’ – Framed watercolour – 70 x 50cm

Price: €650 – SOLD

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Anna Galea’s art is inspired by nature and she is best known for her exceptionally large and vibrant still-life paintings and abstractions. She delights in zooming in to produce dramatic, intense and sometimes abstracted interpretations of normal mundane subjects – which we all tend to take for granted. She has exhibited her art extensively across Europe, in the UAE, Mauritius and Australia, as well as in Washington and New York, and her watercolour work has been highly acknowledged in the United States as well as in Europe and the UAE. Her work can be found in numerous private and public art collections. She was entrusted with conducting Master watercolour demonstrations at Conventions of the International Watercolour Society in Fabriano Italy, and in Dubai. Anna Galea’s paintings have featured in books of the acclaimed International Artist publishers of USA, on calendars, book covers and other publications.

 

13. Roberta Zammit Cutajar

‘Billy’ – Framed oil on canvas – 60 x 60cm

Price: €500 – SOLD

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Roberta Zammit Cutajar started painting in watercolours and eventually moved on to oils which are now her preferred medium. Her art could be described as bold and impressionistic. She loves colours, especially the intensity of blue and green hues and she gets her inspiration from her dog walks in the Maltese countryside and by the sea. In 2018 Roberta took part in an exhibition called ‘New Faces’ at Gallery G and held her first solo exhibition at The Malta Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise, Valletta called ‘Through my Eye’. In December 2019 she held an exhibition at Mediterranean Ceramics in Ta’ Qali called ‘Colours of the Med’, held in aid of charity.

 

14. Joseph Farrugia

‘Transformation’ – Framed oil on canvas – 60 x 80cm

Price: €1200

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Joseph Farrugia has pursued an active career as an economist, specialising in the field of industrial relations and social dialogue. He is a visual artist and has organised numerous personal exhibitions over a span of more than 30 years in venues such as the National Museum of Fine Arts, St. James Cavalier, and at the Palais des Nations, Geneva. He has taught art at post-secondary level and lectures in Visual Literacy for Marketers at the University of Malta.

 

15. Debbie Caruana Dingli

‘You Stole Our Future’ – Framed oil painting – 86 x 126cm

Price: €1500 – SOLD

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Debbie Caruana Dingli has been painting for the last 40 years. Her early works were mostly watercolour, sunny and optimistic pictures of people in local settings peppered with dogs, cats, donkeys and goats. Each face is looked at as a challenge, the artist’s love for people and their pets is evident in their expressions. Portraiture in both watercolours and oils has been a staple part of her work. Over the years, Debbie has turned to using her art as a tool for social commentary, be it fear for the environment, concern over the plight of migrants, and anger at the uglification of our islands. In 2021, Debbie will be having a solo exhibition at Spazju Kreattiv, entitled ‘Nothing Really Matters’.

 

 

16. Ray Piscopo

‘My New Sneakers’ – Unframed acrylics on canvas 90 x 70cm

Price: €750 – SOLD

‘Charting The Course’ – Unframed acrylics on canvas – 90 x 70cm

Price: €800

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Ray Piscopo is an engineer by profession. Throughout his career, Ray has worked with various media starting with oils, frescos and tempera then moving on to watercolour, acrylics and oils. In 2008, Ray won the 2nd prize in the 3’Premio Piero Della Francesca in Arezzo, Italy. Ray served as a member of the Healing Arts Committee which was entrusted with the embellishment of public spaces within Mater Dei Hospital. He has attended master classes in Salzburg, Austria with Hubert Scheibl and at the SommerAkademieVenedig, Italy, with the renowned Senegalese artist Amadou Sow. Ray is the Curator in Residence for The Phoenicia Hotel.

 

17. Marisa Attard

‘Have You Washed Your Hands Today?’ – Framed pen, ink and watercolour collage – 47 x 40cm

Price: €450 – SOLD

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Marisa Attard is an artist and illustrator who studied art under Esprit Barthet, Harry Alden and Anton Calleja. She has illustrated numerous books and has been awarded the Premju Nazzjonali tal-Ktieb for Best Illustrator of Children’s books, twice. Marisa is a keen observer of people and her range of subjects can be both serious and dark, or humorous, quirky and endearing. Through her art, she expresses her views on how she sees people, society and politics – the good, the bad and the ugly. Her social commentary can be subtle or hidden but often it is sharp and bold. She discovered the freedom of combining her illustrative style of pen, ink and watercolour to works in acrylic and collage which show her preference for bright colours applied in layers with added collage and found objects to help create texture and depth.

 

18. Michelle Gianlanze

‘Nothing Stays Still’ – Unframed oil on canvas – 40 x 50cm

Price: €350

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Michelle Gianlanze, known as Mixa, seeks to understand what surrounds us. The process she has developed to paint involves personal writing, followed by research, experimentation and finally painting these thoughts. This is all conveyed through the use of brush strokes and colour. In 2019, she held a solo exhibition titled ‘Hidden in Malta’ and another titled ‘Momentum’, at Bow Arts Royal Albert Wharf, London. One of her paintings was selected to be included in a music video for the singer Tom Rosenthal. Mixa’s work can be seen in private and public collections in Malta, the UK, Germany, Italy, France and the United States. She is a member of the RSA in London as well as the Royal Society of Artists Malta.

 

19. Isabel Warrington

‘Winter Walk’ – Framed watercolour – 30 x 22cm

Price: €350 – SOLD

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Isabel Warrington is well-known for her caricatures which she paints in her studio and at events. Landscapes and cityscapes are what she enjoys doing when she paints for her own pleasure. Isabel is also an established actor with a diverse repertoire in comedy, musical theatre and drama. Theatre has been a strong influence in her life and her art and in recent years, she has applied her creative talents to costume design, mainly for the stage. Isabel attended the School of Art in the late 1980s, where she was tutored by Harry Alden. Six years later, she furthered her training in art and design in Scotland where she studied art for a year.

 

20. Bob Cardona

‘Headlight’  – Acrylic on deep edge canvas  – 70 x 50cm

Price: €325

‘Rustscape’ – Acrylic on deep edge canvas – 50 x 60cm

Price: €225 – SOLD

 

Bob Cardona works predominantly with acrylics and his work explores landscapes, portraits, abstracts and still life. Following a long career in the United Kingdom, where he ran his own design agency for some 36 years, Bob returned to Gozo in 2016 and focused more on his art. Since then he has exhibited his work numerous times, including at the Citadel in 2018.

 

21. Victor Manduca

‘James, look at me when I speak and put that glass of wine down at once’ – Plate – 30cm wide

Price – €390