10/10:

Japonisme

In the 1850's-60's the western movement Japonisme had surfaced in Europe because of the fact the Japanese had started to trade with the west again and as a result of them trading an influx of types of objects, techniques, wood blocks, wood block prints, porcelain dolls etc. Japonesque artists used wood blocks in their paintings. In 1862 the World Fair hosted in Europe brought even more attention to Japanese Art. In the 1860's Japanese wood block prints became very popular and were a source of inspiration to many impressionist and post-impressionist artists in the west such as Monet, Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin. Western artists were fascinated by the Japaneses decorative arts because it offered a new freedom from imitative or photographic representation, and introduced new angles of vision and an entirely different treatment of perspective.  The aesthetics and characteristics that are noticeable in Japanese art are elongated pictorial formats, asymmetrical compositions, aerial perspective, spaces emptied of all but abstract elements of colour and line, a focus on singularly decorative motifs, cropped close-up partial views of objects in the foreground and the use of bold, unshaded colour. Quite a few well known western painters in that time show characteristics of Japanese art in their paintings such as Van Gogh, Toulouse Lautrec etc. 

Thou Art History: Japonisme. 2013.  [ONLINE] Available at: http://thouarthistory.blogspot.com/2009/03/japonisme.html. [Accessed 21 May 2013].

 British Museum - Japonisme . 2013. British Museum - Japonisme . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/articles/j/japonisme.aspx. [Accessed 21 May 2013].

9/10:

How Japanese Art and Western Art influenced each other.

In 1865 the Japanese finally ended their 200 year isolation from the world and had re-established  diplomatic and trading relations with the western world. Japan was being influenced by the west in terms of clothing, art, science and adopted some of these themes and adapted them to their own culture. Many people flocked to the port of Nagasaki where western books and prints were being sold and new interesting techniques such as scientific perspective and chiaroscuro shading were introduced to the Japanese people. Unfortunately the Japanese had rushed too far to change their traditional ways and integrate the western cultures ways which put Japan in a state of crisis. In art there was a divide between artists because some wanted to keep the traditional values Japanese art and not convert or adopt western art while the other half adopted western materials and techniques on their paintings. 

While in the west appreciation for the Japanese's graphic art and objects had in-fluxed and could be bought from shops in Paris and everywhere during that time because of the increasing popularity of wood block prints and Japanese objects. The west was fascinated by the Japanese Wood block prints and the flatness and different linear perspective of their prints compared to the west's typical realistic style. The influence of Japanese art had created a Westernised movement of Japanese called Japonisme. 

Japan and the West: Artistic Cross-Fertilization - The Floating World of Ukiyo-e (Library of Congress). 2013.  [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/ukiyo-e/japan.html. [Accessed 21 May 2013].

The Meiji Crisis in Japanese Art - NYTimes.com. 2013. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/28/arts/28iht-conway28.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0. [Accessed 21 May 2013].

8/10:

Japanese Calligoraphy

Japanese Calligoraphy also called Shadou, it was originally introduced by the Chinese somewhere around the 6th century when the Buddhist missionaries were coming to Japan to preach about Buddhism. In the Heian Period the Japanese had taken a good grip on the new art form of Calligraphy and developed it into something more. At the time of the Heian period the three well known Japanese calligraphers were the Buddhist monk Kuukai, The emperor Saga and the courier Tachibana no Hayanari who were known as ''The three great brushes'' they created calligraphy that was comparable to the Chinese master Yan Zhenqing. In the 10-11th centuries the group known as the ''The three great brushes'' were succeeded by yet another group who were called ''The three chases'' the groups members were Ono no Tofu’s style started the Shouren School that later produced the Oie style of writing that was dominant during the Edo period., Fujiwara no Sukemasa and  Fujiwara no Yukinari. This trio developed a unique way of Japanese Calligraphy which was called Wayou. Ono no Tofu had created a school called the Shouren School which had later developed the style of writing and calligraphy during the Endo Period. Japanese Calligraphy has influenced western art and artists because of its free flowing lines and brush strokes and was very different to the typical typography of the western world. There are three types of basic Japanese Calligraphy which are kaisho, Gyousho and Sousho. 

 

Japanese calligraphy: The history and forms of Japanese calligraphy. 2013.  [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.japanese-name-translation.com/site/about_japanese_calligraphy.html. [Accessed 21 May 2013].

Japanese Calligraphy History. 2013. Japanese Calligraphy History. [ONLINE] Available at: http://japanese.about.com/od/calligraphy/a/120497.htm. [Accessed 21 May 2013].

7/10:

Kimonos

In the 700's the Japanese had garments such as one piece garments or seperate garments such as skirts or trousers. This type of clothing came from the influence of the Chinese Monks that came to Japan to preach about Buddhism. It wasn't until the Heian period a new kind of kimono making technique had been adapted and developed, it was called the straight line cut method which was cutting pieces of fabric in straight lines and sewing them together, this technique had made making kimonos very simple since the creator did not have to really worry about the wearer's shape and measurements. This method also allowed people in winter to wear extra garments under their kimonos to keep them warmer, for the summer kimono's wear made out of linen which was very breathable and easy to move around in for the Japanese people making the kimono's  an everyday item that could be worn casually and for special events.  Kimono's were also developed into attire for people and judges in the justice system and the courts. In the Kamakura and Muromachi periods technology and society was developing making more colours available for Kimonos. When military clans had ruled over Japan men's kimonos were made to signify who they sided with and what army they were with. There were also special occasion kimonos which had special embellishments and were very colourful while for casual day the Japanese had worn Kimono's that were made to be lightweight and easy to wear for the ease of doing daily activities and errands. In the Edo period Japan had been divided into feudal states and Soldiers wore special kimonos which branded which state they were from and which lord they had served. In this period Kimono's had become s more complicated with more adjustments that had be added and the kimono had been split into 3 pieces such as the main part which is the robe, a sleeveless garment worn over it called kamishimo and a pair of split skirt trousers that was called hakama. Kimonos had started to become a cultural and  valuable thing and was being passed down to each generation as family heirlooms. By the 1800's the Japanese had started to trade with the westerners and had become influenced by them and wore suites and dresses. The kimonos were saved for special occasions such as weddings, birthdays, festivals, funerals etc and was no longer worn as a casual everyday piece of garment. 

Japanese Kimono History | USA Today. 2013. [ONLINE] Available at: http://traveltips.usatoday.com/japanese-kimono-history-13616.html. [Accessed 20 May 2013].

History of Kimonos - Kimono - Virtual Culture - Kids Web Japan - Web Japan. 2013.  [ONLINE] Available at: http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/virtual/kimono/kimono01.html. [Accessed 20 May 2013].

5/10:

Wood Block Prints (Ukiyo-e)

Woodblock printing dates back to 770 CE. In the Heian period Woodblock printing was used for Buddhism   such as religious prints and texts. These prints were very simple at first because the Japanese had only used one colour to print. Later on they started to develop and experiment with colours and create complicated and visually beautiful prints using a variety of colours and techniques and tried to perfect the art of woodblock printing. A school named ukiyo-e which was an art school that had been created in around the late 16th century, this school had adopted Wood block printing as an artistic form and for their wood block prints they had done basic themes which were based on everyday life but with a twist making their prints look like they were a ''fleeting floating world''.  This ideology was based on the Buddist religion which its ideology is that life is ''fleeting and impermanent''. Woodblock artists and printing had become famous when an artist named Hishikawa Moronobu had been recognised for his master pieces of wood block printing.  In the Momoyama Era the subject depictions for woodblock printing had changed significantly into erotica such as whores and sluts of the pleasure district and famous kabuki actors. During this time prints were being made into several copies for the purpose of art and advertisements to the middle classes at the time the merchants and the artisans that were in the areas of the theaters and please districts.  

In the 19th century Japan had started to trade with the western world during that time woodblock prints were starting to become less popular in Japan. In the 20th century Japanese artists started to be influenced by a style called creative print (sosaku-hanga) were art could be more emotional and the artist could express themselves more and the theme of the painting could be more generalised.  Wood block printing though had still been used in newspapers in terms to paint a picture of a situation for example a war etc.  

The History of Ukiyo-e and Woodblock Printing in Japan. 2013. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.stolaf.edu/people/kucera/YoshidaWebsite/evolution/essay_pages/jason_bossen.htm. [Accessed 20 May 2013]. 

Woodblock Prints in the Ukiyo-e Style | Thematic Essay | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 2013. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/ukiy/hd_ukiy.htm. [Accessed 20 May 2013].

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Japanese Sculptures

Japanese Sculptors through out the centuries have used an extensive media and techniques to create their sculptures, Such media they used are clay, bronze, stone, dry lacquer and wood. The Japanese were known for their sculpting capabilities and precision throughout the western world. The first pieces of Japanese sculpture date back to the Jomon Period in which they made little figurines (for religious use) and pottery for everyday essentials such as jugs for drinking water which were made out of clay. Through the centuries the Japanese had continued using clay as the body for their sculptures but 1700 years ago a new technique of sculpting had been developed which was called Haniwa. Haniwa were usually sculptures that had the form of animals, humans and houses. These type of sculptures were usually put in burial chambers of Emperors and officials.  

When Buddhism was introduced into Japan by the Chinese during the 6th century sculptures had changed and the Japanese started to use a wider variety of media such as wood, bronze and gold. Stone was not used as a sculpting material during this period or any other periods because of the lack of stone used in the Japanese's history. In 1180 civil war had broke out between two Japanese military clans which were named the Taira and the Minamoto. The Minamoto clan had won the civil war and in order to appease their new government Japanese artists had taken a more detailed realistic approach to their work. One prominent figure during the time was the sculptor Unkei who had created incredible realistic sculpture pieces. He also had created a sculpting school which was called the Kei school. 

The Art of Japan: sculpture: history. 2013.  [ONLINE] Available at: http://library.thinkquest.org/27458/nf/sculpture/history.html. [Accessed 20 May 2013].

3/10:

Japanese Pottery

The first type of Japanese Pottery/Ceramics dates back to 12,000 years ago with Jomon Earthenware. Most pieces from this time were meant for storage and for functional uses such as jugs, teapots, pans and vases. They also made figurines and relics for religious use in ceremonials etc. Their pottery was made by rolling it on straw rope to produce patterns on the clay vessel/body to create different effects. The clay vessels were then baked in fires that were built outside with quite low temperatures which caused the end result to be thick but very brittle and easy to break and shatter. After quite some time pottery had evolved due to the Korean Peninsula bringing over a new method to the Jomon culture and a change had developed in their pottery and also their culture, their pottery had become more simple and effective for functionality compared to what it was before this was called Yayoi Ware. After Yayoi ware there was Sue-ware which was again introduced by the Korean Peninsula which pottery was made with a potters wheel and fired in a kiln at high temperatures. Many types of different functional things were made from this type of clay such as jars, pottery, alcoholic beverages were stored in pots. In around the 7th Century AD a new technique was again introduced from the Korean Peninsula. This technique was combining glaze with molten lead, this caused the lead to turn green because of certain ingredients and reactions happening when it was covered in glaze so it could change colours and create a beautiful effect on the piece at the end. When entering the Nara Era colours of glazes had become more varied such as yellow-brown and even white glaze. They even managed to develop a glaze that could give a bright glossy finish to pottery and utensils. In the Heian Era kilns had been developed to become more suitable for firing and creating better ceramics pieces. In the Muromachi period characteristics started to show on bowls that were being glazed, within the kiln they would put wood ashes that would attach to the pottery when it was heated at high temperatures and create a wonderful effect.

 

Another turning point for the sales and demand for Japanese Pottery was when the tea ceremony was developed during the Momoyama Era, the Tea Ceremony was created so the Japanese could relax and enjoy the company of others and for them to unwind. Tea cups were made especially for this ceremony which became part of the Japanese Heritage which increased demand for pottery. After some time the Japanese had developed another technique to decorate the boring tea cups and pottery with what is called glazed decoration. Glaze decoration was painting the clay piece with flowers and decorations after it was fired the first time. This creation opened new doors to making exquisite and unique pottery pieces because of the many more types of glazes and the fact that glaze decoration was created. Also another development and introduction with weird shaped  crooked utensils for the tea ceremony. In the Edo period porcelain was born because of the increased amount of potters travelling from the Korean Peninsula the first attempts of porcelain were successful. New developments were happening during the Edo period such as adding pictures to pottery, more colours and discovering new effects. In the Meiji Era porcelain dolls were starting to take form and shape, pottery goods were also in high demand and were becoming very popular as things to decorate peoples homes etc.

 







History | Explore Japanese Ceramics. 2013. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.explorejapaneseceramics.com/basic/general/history.html. [Accessed 20 May 2013].

History of Oriental Ceramics｜The Museum of Oriental Ceramics,Osaka. 2013. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.moco.or.jp/en/intro/history_j.html. [Accessed 20 May 2013].

6/10:

Japanese Tattoos

Japanese tattoos also known as Irezumi to the Japanese has dated back to around 10,000 BC during the Jomon Period. The very first tattoo designs where by the Jomon's where they had characteristically tattooed ancient people with cord like patterns on the face and body. These tattoos were made by using hand made tools. In the Yayoi period Chinese visitors to Japan had been mesmerised by the art of Irezumi and had recorded them in texts. The purpose of the Yayoi's tattoos were for spirititual and ritual reasons and were also social class markers for who was lower class etc. In the Kofun period tattoos were used as a way of marking criminals as punishment for their offenses and wrong doing against people and the public. Hundreds of years later in the Edo period was the rise and interest of Irezumi. The rise and interest of Irezumi was due to Japanese Woodblock printing becoming more popular and  a Chinese novel with illustrations by the name of Suikoden which was about a rebellion of bravery and showed man showing courage and heroics. The illustrations in the book had shown the men's bodies covered in images of dragons, mythical beings, flowers, tigers and religious content. The novel's popularity had prompted the general public to have the same body tattoos as the ones depicted in the novel. Wood block artists started to become tattoo artists and they had made their engraving tools for wood blocks into chisels, gouges and used nara ink on human bodies for tattooing. Nara Ink was famous for the fact that when etched onto the skin turns a beautiful blue-green colour. Irezumi was known to be tattooed at the time on firemen or heroic men who wore these designs because they believed that the tattoos would spiritually protect them from harm and evil. Scholars argue that rich merchants had also worn these expensive Irezumi tattoos under the garments, they hid them due to the fact that they would have been punished for showing off their wealth etc. Other scholars argue that lower classes had worn the decorative tattoos and not the wealthy classes. In the Meiji period the government in charge had outlawed Irezumi because it was thought to be something of disdain and disgust and the Japanese government wanted to make a good impression on the Westerners. Even though Irezumi was outlawed by the government artists still practiced it illegally in underground areas on criminals etc. In 1945 Irezumi become legal and was allowed in the eye of the general public but is not allowed in gyms, public baths and businesses to this day.  

The History of Irezumi: The Ancient Art of Japanese Tattooing - Yahoo! Voices - voices.yahoo.com. 2013. [ONLINE] Available at: http://voices.yahoo.com/the-history-irezumi-ancient-art-japanese-60800.html?cat=7. [Accessed 20 May 2013].

Japanese irezumi tattoo, an overview of the history and development . 2013. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.tantalizing-tattoo.com/japanese-irezumi-tattoo.html. [Accessed 20 May 2013].

 1/10:

Japanese Art Periods

Japanese Art is quite universal in terms of media and styles such as sculptures,origami, painting, tattoos, ancient pottery, ink painting, calligraphy and ukiyo-e woodblock prints. Japanese art dates back to 300 B.C. with the first only known people to inhabit of Japan the Jomon. 

The Jomon had used ceramics to make figurines and everyday utensils such as pots, bowls etc. The clay they had used during that time for their ceramics pieces was Earthenware and mixed it with different types of adhesive materials such as mica, lead, fibers and crushed shells. The Jomon Pots were made by hand without any help from a wheel since they used a coiling method to create their pieces and after they were done with their piece they had used tools to smooth-en out the inner and outer surface of the clay piece. Once the clay piece was finally dry the piece would be fired in an outdoor bonfire at the temperature of 900 degrees Celsius. 

In the 4th century the Jomon culture was coming to an end and was being replaced by the more advanced Yayoi culture. Yayoi pottery was slightly different to Jomon pottery as they used the same coiling technique yet the Yayoi's pottery have cleaner and more functional shapes with two slight technical differences the clay surfaces of the Yayoi's pottery were smoother and clay slip was added sometimes to the clay piece to make it less porous. The ceramics pieces clearly show that they are influenced by the Jomon. Metallurgy was also introduced, bronze and iron was used to make weapons, armour, tools and ritual objects such as bells (dotaku).

The Kofun Period (225-500 AD) is named after the tomb mounds that were built for members of the upper ruling classes of that time. The burial chambers and Sarcophagus's in the early tombs were not embellished with  art, money etc they were very simple. In the 6th century the tombs were painted with decorations and embellished with objects such as bronze mirrors, weapons, tools, personal objects of the person being buried etc. Also during the during the kofun period was Sueki ware that was originally from China and  is similar to modern stoneware and porcelain. Sueki pottery is made out of a blue grey clay and is thin-bodied and hard, it is fired at temperatures of around 1,100 to 1,200 degrees celsius. The potters wheel was used for the first time during this period and was fired in a korean style anagama kiln made of a single  tunnel-like chamber half buried in the ground along the slope of a hill. Green glaze which resulted from accidental effects inside the kiln was applied to ceremonial/religious objects in the beginning of the second half of the seventh century. 

The Asuka and Nara Period (538-794) was when Buddhism and other foreign concepts such as the Chinese written language was introduced into Japan. When Japan had made Buddhism its official religion new doors had been opened for politics and especially the arts. New technologies, new building techniques and more advanced methods of bronze casting and new techniques and media for painting had been introduced to the Japanese. 

 

The Heian Period (794-1185) was named after the new capital Heian-kyo (Kyoto). The Japanese had absorbed so many things from the cultures of the continent they started to appreciate their own land and culture. During this period important developments happened such as the kana script which is the written form of japanese, waka poetry and other literary forms such as monogatori (narrative tales), nikki ( diaries) and yamato-e which was an art that depicted Japanese scenes and illustrated Japanese literature. 

Kamakura Period (late 12th-14th century) Japan was governed by the military thus creating new classes and a new hierarchy which meant  paintings and sculptures depicting officials, warriors, priests and poets were in high demand. During this time a well known school of sculptors had created a new more realistic style of sculpture in which attention to detail was impeccable. Also other esteemed artists during that time esteemed portrait artists Takanobu and his son Nobuzane made fine scrolls depicting narrative forms. 

 

Muromachi Period (1338-1573) also called the Ashikaga period. It developed a renaissance of Chinese style ink painting. Ink painting was accepted as a religious means to teach what was called the Zen-Doctorine. Painters who were priests and revered for their landscape paintings are  Josetsu, Shubun, and Sesshu.  Another major development in this era was the tea ceremony and the place it was housed in. The purpose of the tea ceremony was to be joined by fellow friends and accomplices who enjoyed the arts and relax and forget their problems of everyday life. 

In the Edo Period (1615-1868) creativity came from the two lower classes such as the merchants and artisans. The tea ceremony had been adopted by all social classes and was  now a tradition amongst the Japanese people. In 1693 contact and trade was cut off from the world and no foreigners were to be allowed into Japan. This isolation had made the Japanese go back to old traditions/morals and had created urban societies in Kyoto and Edo. Trade was limited with Dutch and Chinese traders and was only allowed in Nagasaki. In the end of 17th century three types of creative arts had flowered. The renaissance of Heian culture had created an arts and crafts school that had been called Rinpa. Kabuki theatre and wood block prints had also developed during this age after a devastating fire in 1657. Also another style that was introduced by the Ming Chinese monks by the name of bunjin-ga (literati painting). 

Art of the Edo Period (1615–1868) | Thematic Essay | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 2013. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/edop/hd_edop.htm. [Accessed 19 May 2013].

Yayoi Culture (ca. 4th century B.C.–3rd century A.D.) | Thematic Essay | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 2013.  [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/yayo/hd_yayo.htm. [Accessed 19 May 2013].

Asuka and Nara Periods (538–794) | Thematic Essay | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 2013. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/asna/hd_asna.htm. [Accessed 19 May 2013].

Kofun Period (ca. 3rd century–538) | Thematic Essay | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 2013.  [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/kofu/hd_kofu.htm. [Accessed 19 May 2013].

Jomon Culture (ca. 10,500–ca. 300 B.C.) | Thematic Essay | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 2013.  [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/jomo/hd_jomo.htm. [Accessed 19 May 2013].

Heian Period (794–1185) | Thematic Essay | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 2013. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/heia/hd_heia.htm. [Accessed 19 May 2013].

. 2013. . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/entertainment/japanese-art-the-kamakura-period.html. [Accessed 19 May 2013].

WebMuseum: Kamakura Art. 2013. . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/tl/japan/kamakura.html. [Accessed 19 May 2013].

. 2013. . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/entertainment/japanese-art-the-muromachi-period.html. [Accessed 19 May 2013].

Art of the Edo Period (1615–1868) | Thematic Essay | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 2013. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/edop/hd_edop.htm. [Accessed 19 May 2013].

2/10:

Origami

Origami is the Japanese art of paper folding. Origami was introduced to Japan in the 16th Century when it was brought to Japan by Chinese Buddhist monks from China. Hand made paper back then was considered to be a luxurious and expensive item that was available to very few people who were very wealthy. The art was strictly used for ceremonial purposes such as weddings or gifts/tokens. For example Samurais would exchange gifts which was known as Noshi, this form was a paper folded with a strip of dried fish or meat and it was supposedly considered to be a good luck token to the person it was gifted to. Another example would be the Shinto noblemen who would celebrate their weddings by wrapping glasses of sake or rice wine in butterfly forms that had been folded to represent the bride and groom.  To make it more affordable and mass produce paper the Japanese people had developed a special type of paper named ''Washi'' for the purpose of Origami and other things, it was thin and durable which prevented the paper from tearing. When origami became more popular and cheaper any social class could do it no matter how poor or rich they were. There were no written instructions on how to fold origami because it was handed down from generation to generation which became part of the Japanese peoples heritage and culture. In 1797 a book named ''How to fold 1000 cranes'' was published by a man named Akisato Rito which was the first book to have written instructions on how to fold a paper crane. The paper crane was considered to be a sacred bird in Japan because it was thought that if you fold 1000 paper cranes you would be granted one wish.

History of Origami. 2013. [ONLINE] Available at: http://library.thinkquest.org/5402/history.html. [Accessed 19 May 2013].

The History of Origami in Japan. 2013. [ONLINE] Available at: http://origami.gr.jp/Archives/People/OKMR_/history-e.html. [Accessed 19 May 2013].

BETWEEN THE FOLDS | History of Origami | Independent Lens | PBS. 2013. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/between-the-folds/history.html. [Accessed 19 May 2013].

History - Origami Overview - Virtual Culture - Kids Web Japan - Web Japan. 2013.  [ONLINE] Available at: http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/virtual/origami/origami01.html. [Accessed 19 May 2013].

WW

By: Tonio Mallia 

Date Visited: 1st May

Location: St.James Cavalier, Valletta. 

The exhibition has war and conflict as its main theme and features portraits of individuals who would have been caught up in such events. The exhibition comprises of 23 large paintings executed in water media with interestingly enough hand made rice paper. The artist used quite sombre colours to execute the sadness and conflict of war. The exhibition was quite emotional and one painting that really hit me was a painting called ''The Sea''.  I liked the idea that he used home made rice paper to give a gritty texture to the paintings and perhaps in the future I will try his technique out. 

                                                                      Dreamer

                                                                            Missing

                                                                        Bayonets

                                                                                Dance

                                                                            The Chase

Hunger

The Sea

Desert Rat

Painting Diaries

By: Matthew F. Cassar 

Date of visit: 1st May 

Location: Palazzo Ferreria, Republic Street, Valletta. 

The theme and message of the exhibition is of religious discrimination, prejudice and everyday morals on how we humans are meant to act. The paintings had no name as the artist had done an exercise where the viewer had to make up a name for the paintings and write it down on a piece of paper and put it in a folder hanging near the selected painting. 

I love the colour palette the artist had used with such vibrant colours and combining them together to make such colourful eye alluring paintings. The message he also sends through the paintings to the viewer is very clear about religious discrimination, bigotry etc. His use of colour and his colour combinations prompt me to make more use of my colours etc 

Spirit Of Piano

By: Ljupco Samardziski

This exhibition is with the theme of pianos, he does not like to talk about what his paintings are about etc but leaves the interpretation to the viewer to interpret as they please. I love how he abstracted the piano and also it was as if he made his paintings to look like continents on a map.I also loved the fact that he included musical papers and stuck them on like a collage. The paintings had no names near them only numbers.