Artist Mark Schembri joins Allura Art
Allura is pleased to announce the latest artist to join the Allura Art gallery.
Allura Art welcomes local painter Mark Schembri
Mark Schembri at work painting Strada Stretta
“In his contagious enthusiasm is the rebellion of youth.” Art critic E.V. Borg.
As a teenager, the conservative local art establishment may initially have seen the outspoken artist as their ‘enfant terrible,’ but he came to the attention of art critic E.V. Borg, who described him as a “romantic expressionist.”
Mark Schembri feels a deep love and appreciation for his history and heritage, and a warm nostalgia for the Malta he recalls from the tales of his youth. Scenery which “speaks to him” is depicted fondly, with vibrancy and warmth.
The artist's affection for the island he calls home is evident in his evocative streetscapes. Street in Cospicua depicts a sunlit scene in the city framed by a picturesque old archway.
Now well-established, the insatiably curious, versatile and genre-defying Schembri boldly tackles the historical, the natural, the satirical and the divine. His striking compositions are rendered with vigour and verve, in unconventional hues and an illustrative, graphical style, serving as statements, stories, observations and expressions. Schembri believes he was “born to be an artist.”
“I like to challenge people, even with a landscape…”
Fort Manoel Square is very familiar to people who know Malta, and the distant Valletta skyline as seen from Manoel Island is an unforgettable view. The artist reimagines the scene using vivid, ‘unreal’ colours instead of the original yellow shades of limestone.
In his painting of Cottonera, the artist uses artistic license once more to stray from the constraints of reality, using vibrant colours to depict a familiar Maltese city scene.
Time changes everything and man is always building, demolishing and replacing old structures. Schembri’s painting of Porta Reale is a reminiscence of times gone by. It depicts the City Gate of Valletta in the early 20th century, which was demolished in recent times, leaving the capital city ‘doorless’.
In Strada Stretta the artist plays with a framing effect created as part of the artwork. He does not confine the subject to a rigid rectangular shape, but frames the composition by merging some of the colours into the central subject, which is a typical old street - the narrowest of Valletta: Strait Street.
Chapels peppered around Maltese towns and in the countryside are close to Mark Schembri’s heart and he considers these small churches as the real gems of Malta's heritage. Zebbug is one of the oldest towns in Malta, and in this painting the artist explores the contrast created by vivid fluorescent colours on the ageing streets.
Schembri studied graphic design and fine art in his home town of Mosta at the Salvatore Dimech School (now MCAST) under renowned local artists Anthony Calleja and Luciano Micallef and has since exhibited extensively. Two of his many public commissions can be found at the Mosta Parish Church and the Mgarr Parish Church.
For more information about Mark Schembri and to see the rest of his Allura Art Portfolio, visit Mark’s profile on Allura Art.
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About Allura Art
Allura Art deals only in genuine and authenticated originals which are sourced directly from reputable living painters. We offer original fine art at studio prices with secure online payment and safe shipping internationally or local delivery throughout Malta and Gozo. Visit the Allura Art website or find Allura on Facebook or Instagram at @allura_malta. Contact Allura at info@allura.mt or +356 99583389.
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