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Donation to ARKA
Foundation in Ghajnsielem
(APRIL
2007)
Joe Xuereb was one of
the contributors to the Maltese Charities Association of London by
donating for free, one of his sculptures which was auctioned during
their annual Grand Ball held in November 2006 at the Landmark Hotel
to raise funds for Maltese Charities. Actually all the art pieces
were auctioned during the fund-raising event and Joe’s sculpture
fetched a remarkable price of GBP £1600-
On Joe’s recommendation, the London society has accepted that they
make a contribution of £M1000- to “Arka Foundation”, the only
respite center based over on Gozo. For the official presentation
held in April 2007, Mrs Tina Rapinet, one of the committee members,
came over to Gozo and made the donation to Rev.Fr. Emmanuel Curmi,
director of Arka Foundation.
The Malta Charities Association has been established for the last 19
years during which the association has managed to distribute about
GBP £250,000- to various charitable and philanthropic organizations
in Malta and Gozo.
Sculpture Photo exhibited
in Tokyo
(JULY
2006)
During July 2006, a
photography exhibition titled “EOS Digital Works” and organized by Canon
in Tokyo, 16 photographers were selected throughout Japan among whom
there was Yasutake ITO. Mr Ito a professional photographer happened to
have visited Joe Xuereb Gallery in Ghajnsielem, Gozo and for his entry
to the exhibition held at the Canon Gallery Ginza in Tokyo, Mr ITO has
chosen 2 photos of Joe Xuereb sculptures which he has shown to the
Japanese public. It is estimated that round 1000 persons visited the
show on a daily basis. Mr ITO was amused to note that people used to
stop and admire the photo portraying the Gozitan sculptor holding one of
his latest works!
Sculptures exhibited in
New York
(MARCH
2006)
Joe Xuereb has signed a one year contract to have a representation
of his works exhibited at the “Salon” of Montserrat Gallery, New
York, U.S.A. from March 2006 to February 2007. This contact with
Montserrat Gallery was possible after the management of this Gallery
has viewed Xuereb’s work on the internet and invited Xuereb to show
his sculptures in their “Salon”
Montserrat Gallery has been in the art scene for almost 20 years and
it is located in the new hub for art in Chelsea, New York. The
gallery has achieved a reputation as one of Manhattan's most
consistently and innovative exhibition spaces for artists from USA
and abroad. Many discerning art collectors and art critics were
drawn to Montserrat Gallery for its stimulating roster of painters,
sculptors and artists working in various new media.
Xuereb has already exhibited at the Lincoln Centre, New York, in
1996 in a collective exhibition of Maltese art, that took place at
Fordham University terrace. For more information about this
New York venture, one can make contact with Michelle of Montserrat
Gallery on tel. nr. 21-268-0088
Montserrat Gallery
547 West 27th Street
New York
NY 10001
(Gallery opening hours between 12.00pm to 18.00hrs from Tuesday to
Saturday)
The Duke of Edinburgh unveils Joe Xuereb’s Monumental Sculpture
(NOVEMBER 2005)
Joe Xuereb has been commissioned by the Gozo Ministry to design and
carve a sculpture to commemorate the official visit to Gozo by HRH
The Duke of Edinburgh who accompanied Queen Elizabeth when she
visited Malta to attend for the Commonwealth Heads of Governments
Meeting. The sculpture is now being exhibited permanently at the
entrance of the Gozo Ministry building in St Francis Square in
Victoria.
Xuereb has worked from a large block of stone of height of 122 cm
and has titled his work of art as "Life Within the Commonwealth" In
his design endeavors, he tried to show that the whole sculpture
represents the Commonwealth with its individual members. The two
entwined ends portray the special friendship and close relations
between Great Britain and Malta whereby the Gozitan limestone
represents the island of Gozo. During the official ceremony Joe
Xuereb has been acclaimed for his accomplishment.
As part of the itinerary planned for his official visit to the
island of Gozo , HRH The Duke of Edinburgh visited ‘The Gozo
Ministry’ in Victoria being accompanied by the Minister for Gozo,
the Hon. Giovanna Debono throughout his stay. In fact upon arrival
for the unveiling ceremony the Hon Minister introduced HRH The Duke
to sculptor Joe Xuereb who chatted with him for a while and then
proceeded with the ceremony. The Duke commented very positively for
the design in the local limestone so much so that he touched the
sculpture to feel the tactile and smooth finish.
The monumental sculpture project has been sponsored by the British
High Commission who were also responsible for most of the
organization of the official visit to Malta by Her Majesty Queen
Elizabeth and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. In fact the wording
inscribed in gold colour on the black granite pedestal on which the
sculpture is now nicely displayed, read as:
Presented to the people
of Gozo
by the British high Commission and unveiled by
HRH The Duke of Edinburgh
on the occasion of his visit to Gozo
25th November 2005
"In Celebration of the Friendship and Heritage we share"
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