https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/21783 2026-04-26T01:54:01Z 2026-04-26T01:54:01Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/33678 2018-09-13T01:34:30Z 2017-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Maltese fashion post 1970 : cultural lateness and transgression Abstract: Maltese Fashion Post 1970: Cultural Lateness and Transgression starts with the rejection of the term fashion as referring solely to clothing in the broader capitalist context. In this study, fashion does not merely refer to the notion of clothing, but also denotes the production, distribution and consumption of the body as an artwork. This dissertation starts off with the seemingly contentious premise that anything can be considered an artwork as long as it looks ‘made’. Whether canonical works by Maltese foremost authorities, or simply a symptom of unconscious societal fads, the works analysed in this dissertation are not subjected to judgements of taste, that draw on a dichotomised definition of art as being either ‘good’ or ‘bad’. In discussing lowbrow aesthetics, this research project sheds light on Malta’s position with regard to postmodern aesthetics, or rather, what the dissertation defines as ‘disaesthetics’. It also brings to bear on its overarching rationale commonplace and ‘pop’ design, and puts this under an art historical lens, ultimately presenting the postmodernist object as reverential. In this way, the research addresses the question of what happens to postmodernism that either comes too late or lingers, and of the role that Beauty place in such a scenario, if any. As a result, the problem of artistic relevancy in design scene in Malta post 1970 is also implicitly tackled. Moreover, Maltese Fashion Post 1970: Cultural Lateness and Transgression draws attention to post-1970 exercises in kitsch and trash in Maltese culture, as expressed in decorative and applied arts. Broadly speaking, postmodernism is addressed as a lingering phenomenon. Postmodernism is a slippery term that eludes a pragmatic sense of definition, and discussing its potential regional evolutions and offshoots can be a problematic and daunting task, and the act of placing such a discussion with the parameters of applied theories, can justifiably be considered academically facetious. This dissertation proposes to address these difficulties and conceptual nuances by looking at the notion of fashion. As a topic of choice, fashion is neither random nor arbitrary. Fashion is the perfect point between highbrow and lowbrow culture; between fine art installation and the decorative arts; between the utmost flat popular cultural trends, and on the other hand, deep and often unconscious nuggets of information that are rooted into a country’s identity. Very often one finds themselves floored when seeing how a gown, more than architecture or fine art, manages to say so much without trying to say anything at all. This is, after all, what this dissertation presents as the curse of postmodernism: it is bound to mystify itself and transcend its own flatness. Although not much has been written about fashion theory and its relationship to the future of postmodernism, and that which has been written often forms part of unacademic discourse, fashion is incredibly easy to have theory applied to. It works on a multitude of conceptual levels and seems to satisfy all criteria for analysis, with examples ranging from trash, to the vulgar, to low kitsch and high kitsch, to conscious postmodern collage, to the Beautiful and the True, and finally, the sublime. Indeed Maltese Fashion of Post-1970: Cultural Lateness and Transgression is as much about lateness and transgression, in their terminological sense, as it is about their relation to fashion itself. It attempts to explore both abstract philosophy, as well as the history of design, without ever privileging one at the expense of the other. Description: M.A.HIST.OF ART

2017-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/33670 2018-09-13T01:31:30Z 2017-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Repetitive self-representation : originality in the study of Antoine Camilleri (1922-2005) Abstract: Antoine Camilleri’s repetitive self-representation remains, without question, unrivalled in the genre of self-portraiture in the history of Maltese art, and it is precisely its repetition which is key to understanding why he represented himself on so many occasions. Camilleri’s belief in artistic freedom, which challenged the traditional approach to art in Malta that had characterised the centuries which preceded him, places him as a pioneer in the field of modern art in Malta. Therefore, establishing the idea of repetition as originality is the key argument in chapter one. An eternal debate in the history of art which becomes more relevant during the twentieth century because technological advances forever altered the way in which an original would be viewed. This is why an analysis of what theorists and art critics have written about the topic is used to introduce chapter one, which aims to serve as the basis to understand Camilleri’s work. The chapter also focusses on repetition in Camilleri’s oeuvre as a whole, analysing his continued dialogue with the history of art and the way in which he repeated himself. It is only in the second chapter, and the chapters that follow, where the focus turns solely to his repetitive self-representation. Chapter two analyses the way in which Camilleri’s search for identity is an integral component in his self-representation, which is closely linked to his use of personal symbolism. A comparative analysis with other serial self-portrait artists who dealt with the theme of identity is provided in order to understand how Camilleri’s identity is repeated in his own self-representation. This chapter emphasises the idea that one cannot separate Camilleri’s life and identity from his work. The work of Antoine Camilleri was the central topic of three major publications which give a general overview of his oeuvre. The earliest academic publication about the artist is an essay found in Malta: Six Modern Artists, Fiorentino (1991). In this short essay, the author provides a detailed analysis of Camilleri’s work till 1991, emphasising the ways in which Camilleri was a pioneer of modern art in Malta. Although the publication does not cover the last fourteen years of the artist’s life, it can still be considered as one of the best analytical essays about Camilleri’s work published to date. The author does however, fall into the trap of justifying Camilleri’s originality, by ignoring his repetition. The second publication was produced after an exhibition showcasing Camilleri’s clay work, Vella (2006). The book offers the reader a short biographical account of the artist’s life which is accompanied by a catalogue of works which were included in the exhibition. Finally, a monograph of the artist has been published in Cassar (2006). It is the most extensive survey of Camilleri’s work published to date, however, the author favours a descriptive style that fails to analyse the artist’s work. It serves as a good catalogue of Camilleri’s work which invites for further analysis. Description: M.A.HIST.OF ART

2017-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/25111 2019-06-11T08:25:12Z 2017-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Late medieval and early modern mullioned windows in Mdina, Birgu and Gozo Citadel : a gazetteer of typologies Abstract: This dissertation aims at studying and cataloguing the twenty-five mullioned windows extant on the Maltese Islands. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the mullioned windows and their architectural and historical context in which these windows were created. Firstly, it would have been much easier had we been able to undertake stone characterisation analysis. In so doing, we would have had a proper indication of how old the windows really are. Both Heritage Malta and the Faculty of Chemistry at the University of Malta were contacted. Whilst we do have the correct equipment, an X-Ray Diffraction unit, actually provenancing the stone proved to be an impossible task as this equipment was procured without the comparative data-base of stone types. Hence characterisation can be made, but the data retrieved cannot be matched to any stone-type. The mullioned windows are tackled one by one in Chapter 2 and categorised according to style. The comparative stylistic analysis in Appendix A proved to be an indispensable tool, as it sums-up the characteristics of each and every window and draws comparisons with windows of the same typology in Sicily and Catalunya. Another key aspect of this dissertation is found in Chapter 3. The research was met with a lack of information and the conclusion of this study would have taken a different turning had it not been for the striking discovery of old unpublished drawings executed around 1915 by A. Galea. Indeed, it was a revelation to view drawings of these windows in their state prior to restoration, which so far through popular belief, were seen as heavily lacking in their originality. These drawings became the voice of the windows yearning to be appreciated for their long history and for having stood the test of time. As discussed in Chapter 4, the single biggest handicap met throughout this study proved to be the lacunae of primary sources. Many a time, experts in the field of Late Medieval and Early Modern periods would just raise an eyebrow and acknowledge that there is no information on such windows. It is hoped that this gazetteer goes a long way in filling some of these gaps. Description: B.A.(HONS)HIST.OF ART

2017-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/24659 2024-05-27T10:29:57Z 2017-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: The Oratory of the Crucifix at Cospicua Abstract: This dissertation will concentrate on the historical and artistic aspect of the Oratory of the Crucifix in Cospicua. It will deal with the origin of the confraternity and the building of the oratory. Chapter 1 will focus on the origin of the cult of the Crucifix and the devotion of the Maltese people for the passion of Christ, the origin of the procession of Good Friday and the works of with the dying done by this confraternity especially in Cospicua. In Chapter 2, I will focus on the building and the development of this oratory, the presentation of the Baroque style in Malta. I will focus as well on the description of the architecture. Finally, in Chapter 3, I will be discussing the interior and exterior artefacts that embellish this oratory. Description: B.A.(HONS)HIST.OF ART

2017-01-01T00:00:00Z