Collective art exhibition at Palazzo Ferreria
Four artists have been working hard towards a collective art exhibition scheduled to take place in Palazzo Ferreria, Republic Street, Valletta, starting on Friday the 5th of May and ending on Friday the 19th of May. One of the artists explained: “The exhibition is entitled 2+2=1. It is intended to promote gender equality, hence 2+2=1...two females and two males, although different in gender and in artistic styles, they are one and the same.” The participating artists are the following: Marika Borg, Marianne Cirillo, Stiefnu De Battista and Anthony Vella. They are all former students of the Malta School of Art.
Anthony Vella, better known to all his friends as Tony, hails from Zabbar but resides in Xghajra. He has been on the local arts scene for the last 10 years.
At age 14 and under the tutelage of Theodore Degiorgio, Tony won first prize in a National Child Art Competition organised by the then Malta Society of Arts, Manufacture and Commerce in the 14 to 17 year age group.
This prompted Tony to study Drawing at the Malta School of Art under the late Esprit Barthet for approximately one year. However, after this brief period, Tony had to put his studies aside and concentrate on work and family. Many years passed before he was able to take up painting again. But as soon as he retired from work, he took up studying at the Malta School of Art where after a full five years course in History of Art lectures by Dr Chris Attard and practical lessons in Painting under the tutelage of Alfred Portelli and Tony Sciberras, he obtained a Diploma in Fine Arts with Distinction.
Tony has twice represented Malta in UNESCO-organised 10 day Art Camps, one in Gozo in 2019 and one in Andorra in 2021, where along with 20 other artists from Europe and the Near East, besides daily sessions in painting, he took an active part in discussions about Art, Culture, and World Peace.
Tony has participated in various collective art exhibitions both in Malta and abroad, and has works in the United Kingdom, Australia and Andorra.
He considers himself an allround Realistic Artist, with trees nature and daily life being his priorities. Furthermore, Tony also indulges in semi-abstract painting of trees and forest scenes., and of late he has taken an active interest in Abstract Art.
Tony’s preferred mediums are oils and acrylics, but has recently started experimenting with colour and pastel pencils.