Għeliem ta’ Joeaby Vassallo

Marki/Sinjali … jew ahjar Għeliem. Fil-qalba ta’ din il­-kollezzjoni ta’ xogħlijiet grafiċi nsibu appuntu dan. Sa mill-bidu ta’ żminijietu, il-bniedem fittex Ii jimmarka jew iħażżeż sinjali u marki sabiex jimmarka territorji jew jesprimi l-ħsibijiet tiegħu. Jekk nitilqu mill-għerien f’Lascaux u niġru saċ-Ċentru Kulturali, Dar il-Pawlini fi Triq l-Arċisqof, insibu dik l-ambizzjoni komuni. Ix-xewqa tal-artist Ii jesprimi l-kwotidjanità tiegħu; dak Ii hu intimu u personali, iżda wkoll dak li hu iktar prattiku. Filwaqt Ii ċ-ċriev, barrin u żwiemel f’Lascaux kienu s-suġġett qrib għall-artist Paleolitiku, naraw kif il-forom geografiċi ta’ Malta, huma l-ossessjoni artistika ta’ Vassallo.

Matul il-preparazzjoni ta’ din l-esibizzjoni, spiss użajt il-kliem “logħba” u “esperiment” mal-artist. Fix-xogħol grafiku tiegħu, Vassallo jittanta l-għajn ta’ min jara xogħlu. Mumenti tara kwadri suwed, oħrajn tara linji stabbli u f’oħrajn linji jiżfnu. Qabel ma tiffamiljarizza mad-disinji, diffiċli tifhem. L-istess bħal-logħba tal-ħajja; mhux kollox huwa immedjat, mhux kollox ċar, u trid iż-żmien biex tifhem.

Inħoss ukoll li din il-kollezzjoni hija wkoll esperiment. Esperiment mekkaniku/grafiku fejn bl-uċu tal-linja, dritta jew mgħawġa, I-artist jesperimenta fuq lingwaġġ ta’ forom. Ħafna drabi Vassallo jirnexxielu joħloq forom permezz ta’ nuqqas ta’ linji. Huwa appuntu n-nuqqas ta’ intervent Ii joħloq suġġett. In­-negattiv li jsir protagonist. U hawn fejn il-‘qarrej’ tax-xogħlijiet irid ikollu għajn tajba biex jifhem dan.

Nemmen li filwaqt li dan huwa biss bidu għall-futur kreattiv mill-aktar interessanti għall-arkitett Vassallo, dan huwa wkoll eżempju ċar ta’ kif il-kwalitajiet akkademiċi u artistiċi jistgħu jiltaqgħu u jwelldu lingwaġġi ġodda Ii jisfidaw liż-żewġ dinjiet.


Għeliem by Joeaby Vassallo

Marks/Signs … or better so Għeliem. At the heart of this collection of graphic works we find precisely that. Ever since the dawn of mankind, man has always sought to come up with symbols and marks in order to mark territories and express himself. Moving from the caves of Lascaux, heading towards the Cultural Centre, Dar il-Pawlini in Valletta, we find a common ambition. The artist’s wish to express ordinariness; what is intimate and personal, but also that which is practical. Whereas the deer, bulls and horses in Lascaux were the subject closest to the Paleolithic artist, it’s the Maltese geographical forms that obsess Vassallo’s artistic soul.

During the course of preparations for this exhibition, I often used the words ‘game’ and ‘experiment’ with the artist. In his graphical work, Vassallo stimulates the eye of the viewer. Moments you see black frames, but at times these turn into lines which are stable whilst in others, they dance. Before you familiarise yourself with the designs, it is difficult to get hold of them. Same as in the game of life, nothing is immediate, none is clear, and only time can assist.

This collection is a mechanical/ graphical experiment where the artist uses lines, straight or otherwise, to create a language of forms. In a number of instances Vassallo manages to create forms in the absence of lines. Here, the lack of intervention defines a theme. The negative becomes the protagonist. It is here where the ‘reader’ must have a good eye to come to terms with the conceptual thinking and execution.

I believe that while this is only the beginning of an interesting creative future for architect Vassallo, this is a clear example how academic and artistic qualities can fuse and give life to a language that challenges both worlds.