Gabriel Buttigieg

OGYGIA’ (On Ulysses and Vulnerability)

Gabriel Buttigieg is a visual artist based in Malta working predominantly in the media of drawing and painting. The human condition has always fascinated Buttigieg and his work reflects primordial themes.

His palette references the Mediterranean, Grecian, cave paintings and myths and legends as well as modern day narratives. Taking his cue from psychoanalytic and existential schools of thought, he depicts the underbelly and the shadow of the human race in the same glorious, paradoxical manner in which he represents the sublime. Nostalgia, disillusionment, abandon, hope, decay, the finite, and the sensual all find their way into his work.

Gabriel has a degree in psychology and is currently studying an MA in fine arts at the University of Malta where he is exploring narratives and themes related to the feminine.

He has been featured in various international publications including Wall Street International (USA), Art Dependence Magazine (BE), Arts Talk Magazine (NL), and Impeached Magazine (CH).

Selected Solo Exhibitions

The Four Seasons A Reflection of Archetypal Imagery (Curated by Justine Balzan Demajo), 38 Valleta, Malta (2022)

The Beach, (Curated by Sarah Farrugia), The Splendid, Valletta, Malta (2020)

The Beach, (Curated by Prof. Vince Briffa) The Great Armoury, Academy of Fine Arts, Gdańsk, Poland, (2019)

Saudade, (Curated by Sarah Farrugia), Palazzo De La Salle, Valletta, Malta (2018)

The Droplet Series, (Curated by Michael Fenech), Iniala5, Mosta, Malta, (2017)

Nudes, (Curated by Michael Fenech), Pjazza Teatru Rjal, Valletta, Malta, (2016)

Selected Group Exhibitions

Identity of an Island - Contempory Art Collective and Academic Conference (Curated by Dr. Mark Sagona), Teatru Astra, Gozo, Malta (2022)

ART INTERRUPTED (Curated by Melanie Erixon) Il-Kamra ta’ Fuq, Mqabba, Malta (2022)

Facade (Curated by Erika B. Hess), ArtConnect-ArtstoHearts, New Delhi, India (2021)

Genesis, The Holy Art, Hackney Downs Studios, London, UK (2021)

Dialogs2020 Contemporary Connection - An International Project (Curated by Alessio Guano) Atelier 97 Contemporary Art Gallery, La Spezia, Italy (2021)

Darkness at Noon (Curated by Joe Philippe Abela & Gabriel Zammit) Supported by the Malta Arts Fund, The Splendid, Malta (2021)

‘OGYGIA’ (On Ulysses and Vulnerability)_Willow Charcoal and Satin Varnish on Linen_250x180

The Four Seasons A Reflection of Archetypal Imagery

Time At Hogchester Arts

My time at the residency may best be described as a suspended space in time. Hogchester offered me an excellent opportunity to detach myself from the chaotic world, and plunge my psyche into idyllic and serene surroundings. My mind quietened down, and my spirit was at rest, making it so much easier to engage in creative enterprise. The beautiful lush greenery and the animals complemented the comfy cottage and the brilliantly equipped studio where I could work to my heart’s content. In fact, the cottage itself was a wonderful holding space for my ideas. Moreover, Chantal proved to be a magnificent and erudite host, who really made me feel welcome in her home.

During the fortnight, I moved away from colour to explore line work, of the strong, formidable type. The explorations that I started in the residency have set the scene for my work for the coming months, this time permeated by the Mediterranean influence.