Corporate Dispatch meets MADELEINE GERA, one of Malta’s prolific and now most established artists on the eve of her exhibition ‘Corpus Disegno’ an intimate collection of previously unseen drawings at the Malta Postal Museum. The exhibition is on till the 23rd of November 2019.
Who was Madeleine Gera 30 years ago and who is Madeleine Gera today?
The Madeleine Gera of thirty years ago was finishing her studies in Florence, Italy.
Today, Madeleine Gera is a full time painter.
What triggers your creative instinct lately?
I’m mostly triggered by other paintings and by seeing something or some place or someone in light conditions that I like to paint from. It is all about the light. Always.
What in your opinion should the role of the artist be in this day and age?
I feel that an artist’s role should be that of creating beauty. Life has always been hard and some artists feel they should reflect this in their work. Kathy Kolwitz comes to mind or Louis Sutter. I feel the remedy to hardship is beautiful things,beautiful works of art for others to contemplate.
Being an artist means having heightened sensibilities. Do you agree with this? Why?
I do agree. It’s what you refer to as heightened sensibilities to our world that is the starting point of all art. Other factors come into play later, such as artistic formation.
You live in Valletta. Does Valletta inspire you? In what ways?
I’ve painted Valletta many times but it’s never enough. What inspires me is that the past and present live side by side here. I like harbours very much, be it Naples, New York or St Petersburg.
Being a male or a female artist means different sensibilities. Yet many don’t approve of distinguishing male from female artists. Where do you stand?
When I was much younger, curators were hell bent on ghettoizing , so we had women artist exhibitions… I find it pointless. Just imagine ‘lady Doctors’ or ‘female lawyers’….yawn
Do you still think there is still less acknowledgment of female artists locally? What can be done in this respect?
If this is still an issue in 2019, then we have problems…
Tell us about your forthcoming exhibition? What are you trying to tell us with this latest group of works?
Well, it’s a very personal insight into my process. The exhibition is about drawing and many of my drawings were either back–ups for a painting project, for commissions or even a lesson I was giving in the studio. The entire exhibition is not for sale.
Some quickfire questions:-
Which colour do you dislike the most and why? None
What gives you a kick? Writing
A happy moment you remember most fondly…Our wedding day
The thing that frightens you most….Not being able to paint
How do you take your coffee? Latte with lots of foam!
Over a Coffee Interview is carried by James Vella Clark (Ci Consulta PR Director)
