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Paint, charcoal & geometric heads: 3 Maltese contemporary artists who are on point
When the creativity surges, it hits pretty hard!

Kristina Cassar Dowling

Art is totally subjective, and contemporary art is sometimes unexplainable to those who just don’t get it. But if you’re trying to get in tune with the local contemporary art scene in Malta, there are a few cool kids you need to check out!

Samuel Sultana

First on our list, Samuel Sultana is a wacky artist with some of the coolest canvases around. His contrast of colour and texture, combined with some quirky imagery, is what contemporary painting is all about!

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Sometimes art doesn’t need a subject; it doesn’t need a focus point or an overall scope. It just ‘is’. It’s hard to explain, but instead of looking at the more abstract forms of art with your eyes, look at it with your body, mind and soul - what does it say to you?

Gabriel Buttigieg

Next up, an artist possessing a more figurative style and quite an erotic one at that. Gabriel Buttigieg’s pure style is so enticing. It captures your attention with the bold choice of colour and the dramatic figures which stand (or lay) before you in the centre of the canvas.

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Contemporary art is bold; it’s mischievous; it’s sometimes aggressive and gentle at the same time. Contemporary art is meant to shock you; it’s there to make you question and wonder about its subject matter and it’s entirely philosophical.

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Kane Cali

Last and by no means least, Kane Cali is one of my fav contemporary artists. For the great majority, anything that does not feature painting; figurative imagery and colour, should not be considered art. But what about sculptural and ceramic works of art?

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The detail and crazy creativity that comes with Kane’s work is something else. This is contemporary sculpture at its best: a mixture of modern and traditional methods to achieve some of the finest art pieces on the island.

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What’s your take on these contemporary artists? Does their work move you?

9th March 2019


Kristina Cassar Dowling
Written by
Kristina Cassar Dowling
A local writer in love with the Maltese islands, Kristina is a hunter for all things cultural both in Malta and outside its shores. A curious foodie, music fanatic, art lover and keen traveller with an open mind and a passion for writing.

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