March 6, 2007
An arc of three cardinal red painted 'Reading Cabinets' are placed in the centre of an empty room. No clues offer direction to the viewer. Although the themes of some of Vella's sketches placed in the cabinet drawers are highly charged, such as the authoritarian quality of religion, the choice of drawer and work the viewer selects is at random. If each unlabelled drawer is methodically selected then the cabinets start to read like a book. It is interesting to muse on the reasons why these particular pieces have been selected to be stored in a drawer. An archive is being built up and lends the work the same quality of 'truth' one would assume in a library. Vella uses simple sketching techniques to amplify clearly the themes of his work, such as images linking religious architecture and weapons of destruction. Drawings 2 and 6 consider the relationship between religious indoctrination and violence in such a graphic manner, the drawers begin to offer a form of self-censorship; pull out the drawer just a few inches to reveal only part of the arresting image. The fact the three plan chests are full of drawings is reminiscent of the storage facilities used in Art studios and primary school classrooms where freedom of expression abounds. Conversely, the classroom is also where we are taught early religious values, often in a prescriptive manner.
No two visitors will share the same experience of this exhibition and this signposts a strong theme running through all of the 'Arrivals' exhibitions that Modern Art Oxford hosts. Whilst the work is highly personal to the Artist, the viewer's interpretation is not guided and becomes a unique intimate experience. The final episode in this vibrant and culturally rich exhibition series goes a long way to forging creative and cultural links between EU citizens in a non-prescribed, open and fluid way. Each of the ten Artists exhibiting as part of 'Arrivals' have all given the viewer an opportunity to experience contemporary Art that in some way references the Artist's experience of his or her native country. Raphael Vella receives a staunchly Catholic education in his youth in Malta. Approach and avail yourself of the detail Vella has put into the work with an accompanying list of the drawings informed by this education or follow your nose as to which drawer appeals and create your own random capsule experience. Vella's strong sketching techniques provide bold enduring visual images, like a Student's Catholic Doctrine turning to pulp. Yet it is the sculptural quality of the bay of three red plan chests that tell the whole story for me. With information, such as the ideas embodied in the cartoon-like sketches in the cabinets, exalted by its presentation, how do we know what is true?
No two visitors will share the same experience of this exhibition and this signposts a strong theme running through all of the 'Arrivals' exhibitions that Modern Art Oxford hosts. Whilst the work is highly personal to the Artist, the viewer's interpretation is not guided and becomes a unique intimate experience. The final episode in this vibrant and culturally rich exhibition series goes a long way to forging creative and cultural links between EU citizens in a non-prescribed, open and fluid way. Each of the ten Artists exhibiting as part of 'Arrivals' have all given the viewer an opportunity to experience contemporary Art that in some way references the Artist's experience of his or her native country. Raphael Vella receives a staunchly Catholic education in his youth in Malta. Approach and avail yourself of the detail Vella has put into the work with an accompanying list of the drawings informed by this education or follow your nose as to which drawer appeals and create your own random capsule experience. Vella's strong sketching techniques provide bold enduring visual images, like a Student's Catholic Doctrine turning to pulp. Yet it is the sculptural quality of the bay of three red plan chests that tell the whole story for me. With information, such as the ideas embodied in the cartoon-like sketches in the cabinets, exalted by its presentation, how do we know what is true?