FIMBank sponsors Matthew Kassar Art Exhibition

27.03.2014

FIMBank plc is sponsoring an art exhibition by artist Matthew Kassar entitled ‘New Places’. The exhibition, which will be housed at the German-Maltese Circle at Messina Palace in Valletta, will be open to the public between the 5th and 28th April of this year.

Born in 1968, Kassar showed an interest in art from an early age, spending a  lot of time in his carpenter father’s workshop, utilising all kinds of materials to create his first attempts at painting and sculpture. These experiments were the roots of his artistic orientation and shaped the abilities which later flourished in Matthew’s obsession in using different and unconventional materials in his paintings.

Kassar considers established artist Alfred Chircop, under whom he studied for some time, as a true mentor, thanks to whom his raw and coarse talent developed into refined art. Over time, Kassar has developed the technique for which he is renowned today – the newspaper collage using acrylic and various other materials, such as gesso and glue.  The use of this style can be traced to his earlier abstract work.  Kassar has held a number of personal and collective exhibitions, both locally and abroad.

Commenting on FIMBank’s sponsorship of the exhibition, the Bank’s Chairman, Dr John C. Grech, stated that it is clear from Kassar’s works that the artist sees this medium “as a very powerful way of communicating”, and that his use of various materials and colours “gives a very strong and personal interpretation of Malta’s architecture and heritage, especially that of Valletta”.  Dr Grech said that FIMBank was pleased to support an artist who, like the Bank, greatly appreciated the islands’ many qualities.

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