Exhibition of self portraits by Godwin Cutajar

“godwinsane - portraits of my eccentricity” is new series of self portraits by Godwin Cutajar. In these works Cutajar explores possibilities of conveying his spiritual and psychological aberrations, mental illnesses and anguish, this by repeatedly deforming and disintegrating his painted image. This aspect of deformation reaches its climax in one particular painting where even the canvas support is deformed practically rendering this artefact an abstract canvas sculpture.

In another particular work, Cutajar writes lines from his spiritual diary on the rear side of the painting, thus giving the artefact the potential of conveying an emotion both from its front and also from its rear.

Cutajar’s relationship with his self portrait began in the 1984, the very first time he painted his own self. He resumed painting himself periodically and this activity gave birth to some series of self portraits many of which Cutajar has already exhibited in past exhibitions, namely “The Garden of Eden” self portraits series, the “godwiNU” self portraits series, the “Multiple” self portraits series and the “Deformed” self portraits series.

The present exhibition focuses on the "Deformed" self portraits. It is being shown at the Banca Giuratale in Victoria Gozo and runs from the 3rd to the 27th March.

Cutajar was born in 1965 to Joseph and Filomena in Fontana Gozo where he resides. He has put up several personal exhibitions and also participated in various collective exhibitions. In 2000 his artistic profile was included in the series “L-Artist Kontemporanju Malti” and broadcast on TVM.

In 2001 he was awarded the “Gladiatore d’Oro” from Forum Interart Gallery Rome for artistic merit. In 2013 he published “The Unfinished Monograph” a collection of drawings and autobiographical essays.

Benefitting from a scholarship, in 1993 he obtained a diploma in artefact conservation and restoration from the Istituto Centrale del Restauro in Rome. His motto is ORA ET COLORA.