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Malta’s culture celebrated through exhibitionsNostalgia ruled for Maltese communities across Victoria who visited the Latrobe Valley during the weekend, for exhibitions and events celebrating the Latrobe City – Malta relationship. By Latrobe City Council - 21st March 2006 - Back to News The exhibitions were auspiced by Latrobe City through the State government’s Commonwealth Games ‘Adopt a Nation’ program.
On Sunday, fourteen buses packed with visitors representing Maltese communities across the state, viewed exhibitions at the Latrobe Regional Gallery and at the Maltese Club.
The Gallery exhibitions included ‘Common Goods’ featuring the works of Maltese descendent lace-maker Mary Farrugia and members of the Valley Lacemakers; and an exhibition ‘Malta to Morwell’ which portrays the Latrobe Valley Maltese community through photographs by artist Emmanuel Santos taken in 1990. While the exhibition ‘Common Goods’ closes on Wednesday, ‘Malta to Morwell’ will continue to be exhibited at the Gallery until Tuesday 4 April.
The exhibition mounted at the Maltese Club, included displays of models, photographs, artwork, archaeological relics and reproduction casts; giving visitors a powerful insight into Malta’s rich and historic culture.
Latrobe Valley’s honourary Vice Consul to Malta, Mario Sammut, said the exhibition, curated by Charlie Camilleri and Freddie Asciak, also presented a colourful display of the heraldic shields that represent Malta’s towns and councils, some vibrant model fishing boats, a selection of artwork from Maltese painters, and contemporary and historical photographs.
"The exhibition included a number of models of famous historic buildings
crafted by Charlie Camilleri, including the Mosta Dome, the Valetta opera house, Port de Bombes in Floriana and Porta Reale," Mario explained.
"Pride of the collection was the model of the Mosta Dome, the largest model Charlie Camilleri has undertaken to date. Built on a scale of 6mm to 303mm (1/4 inch – 12 foot) the model took Charlie 15 months to complete.
"As Mosta was Charlie’s home town, the model has particular relevance for him, but it is was the amazing escape from death for hundreds of Maltese during World War II that came to mind for many Maltese viewing the exhibition," Mario said.
In discussing his model at the exhibition, Charlie related that on 9 April 1942 during one of the numerous raids on the George Cross island, a Nazi bomb pierced the Dome of the Mosta church.
"A congregation of three hundred people was present when the bomb and debris fell on them at 4.40pm. Miraculously, the 500kg bomb failed to explode and it was able to be defused later by the bomb disposal unit of the Royal Engineers," Charlie said.
Another stunning model depicted the Valetta opera house in its hey-day. "Sadly this magnificent building no longer exists. It was demolished during a raid in World War II. Just a few remains of the building still mark the entrance to Valletta," Charlie recalled.
Freddie Asciak, a stage decorator and designer, supported the array of Charlie’s historic models with articles from his own collection which recreate some of Malta’s most ancient relics. His collection includes casts of some of Malta’s archaeological discoveries, some dating 5,000 years, which have been retrieved from excavations at the many ancient temple sites located in Malta and Gozo.
One of Malta’s most famous figurines was depicted in the exhibition, the so-called ‘Sleeping Lady’, a reclining figurine, perhaps meant as a representation of eternal sleep.
Freddie explained that the ‘Sleeping Lady’ was discovered in the Hypogeum in Hal-Safliene.
"The Hypogeum is a complex of underground halls, chambers and passages hewn out of the rock which was discovered by accident in 1902, and part is thought to date from 3600-3300 BC. Excavations yielded a wealth of archaeological material including much pottery and human bones, personal ornaments such as beads and amulets, little carved animals and larger figurines," Freddie explained.
Other reproductions in Freddie’s collection reflect the famous ‘fat lady’ statues excavated from the Hagar Qim temple complex, thought to date from 3600-3200 BC.
"Some of Malta’s heritage is incredibly old, and we know little about the people who once lived there. We are talking about an era before the advent of Stonehenge and the Pyramids. This exhibition provided some of our weekend visitors with a nostalgic journey back through time, and for the younger generation, an insight into our rich heritage," Mario concluded.
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com
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