A soaring of bodies and minds symbolises Dante’s journey between Hell and Heaven. Malta’s traditional doorways are a thing of wonder, but how do they fit within the concept of the Dante and Caravaggio-themed Three Palaces Festival? I confess I was curious, when confronted with the name of this event - Portal Shades. But fit they do, of course. Musically, aesthetically, … [Read more...] about Portal Shades: our liminal space
ARTS
The Kiss: Beautifully subversive
How do you do justice to the full import of The Kiss, shared by Dante’s doomed lovers, Francesca and Paolo? Many artists have tried, to varying degrees of success, the most famous possibly being Rodin’s magnificent sculpture. Now, as part of this year’s The Three Palaces Online Festival’s programming - which this year celebrates the Dante and Caravaggio respective … [Read more...] about The Kiss: Beautifully subversive
Oskur: Three Palaces Festival
Exploring Caravaggio’s chiaroscuro technique through music, electronics and imagery How do you explore an artist’s technique using music and cinematography? There are many ways to do it, of course. But perhaps, few are as immersive as that conceived for Oskur, a video art production that premiered on November 8, opening this year’s online edition of the Three Palaces … [Read more...] about Oskur: Three Palaces Festival
Celebrating Maltese artists
The cultural season in Malta is in full swing and, as November knocks on the door, we know that it's also Three Palaces Festival season. Once again, I'm catching up with artistic director Michelle Castelletti over the ubiquitous Zoom, mostly because Michelle is making her magic happen all the way from the UK. Of course, this is the second festival edition to take place … [Read more...] about Celebrating Maltese artists
Is-Sriep Reġgħu Saru Velenużi
When Alex Vella Gera's Is-Sriep Reġgħu Saru Velenżi was first published in 2012, it won the national book prize and pretty much became a cult hit almost instantaneously. Not only due to the narrative arc itself, but for the way it effectively captured the zeitgeist of a whole decade, digging deep into our subconscious, exposing an entire nation's vulnerabilities. This, I … [Read more...] about Is-Sriep Reġgħu Saru Velenużi