Chiaroscuro - an exhibition of paintings

             conversations between darkness and light As part of this year’s edition of The Three Palaces Festival, the festival will be curating an exhibition of paintings, etchings, and drawings at The Grandmaster’s Palace in Valletta.  We have invited established artists to submit their work as part of a collective exhibition from October 29 to November 9, 2025. Alongside this, the festival has issued a call for younger artists, students, as well as self-taught artists from (or residing in) Malta, to be part of a larger and prestigious exhibition in this most exceptional space.  The work is inspired by the concept of chiaroscuro and the contrast and dialogue between darkness and light.  

The opening night will include a short performance of choral works linked to the genius who took the technique of chiaroscuro to its extremities – Caravaggio, paving the way to tenebrism – as well as a realistic ‘work in progress’ copy of Caravaggio’s The Rest on the Flight into Egypt by Oxfordshire-based artist James Gemmill, who, besides being an artist in the more traditional context of gallery artist, has been commissioned large works in the cinematic world, including the recreation of sections of the Louvre gallery for “The Da Vinci Code”; the theatrical set of the film “Anna Karenina”, the reproductions for “The Last Vermeer”, and “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery”, just to name a few.  

The polyphonic works on the opening night will be performed by an octet brought together especially for this occasion, by Albert Buttigieg, and will centre around Flemish composer, Noel Bauldeweyn’s motet, Quam Pulchra Es (How beautiful you are) – the text of which is taken from the Song of Songs, dedicated to the Virgin Mary.  This score is held by St Joseph for the angel playing the viol, in Caravaggio’s Riposo durante la fuga in Egitto (c. 1597), 135cm x 166.5cm, oil on canvas.  It is an important work for a number of reasons, not least it being Caravaggio’s first known sacred painting of substantial dimensions, its novel treatment of this subject, and, also, as one of Caravaggio’s few landscapes.  The masterpiece was purchased by Donna Olimpia Maidalchini Pamphilj in 1650.

The works on display will be almost a 'who’s who' of Malta’s contemporary artists, including: Alex Dalli, Anna Grima, Anthony Catania, Anthony Spagnol, Justin Falzon, Katie Sims, Kenneth Zammit Tabona, Mark Sagona, Mark Schembri, Nancy Abela, and Vince Briffa.  Festival Choir

Alexandra Camilleri Gambin, Daniela Briffa - Soprano

Bianca Simone, Nicole Vassallo - Alto

Brian Cefai, Jester Rosales - Tenor

Albert Buttigieg, Miguel Rosales - Bass