The abstract world of Alfred Chircop : the role the Maltese artist plays in the history of abstract art in Malta

Abstract

Alfred Chircop’s career and unique approach to art makes him one of the most influential and prolific artists in the history of Malta’s local art scene. This thesis addresses the biography of the late artist in reference to his artistic journey and the impact his artistic oeuvre had on the development of abstract art in Malta. This research will be undertaken through reference to academic papers and books, in addition to consultations with select scholars. The lack of academic studies undertaken on Alfred Chircop was also one of the key reasons that drove me to engage in this research noting it is not an easy task to write about the inspirations of someone who has passed away. Furthermore, according to various sources, Chircop was not very fond of expressing his inspirations and interests with others during conversations, nor did he have the urge write about them. Chircop’s reticence raises an important question to be addressed in this thesis; from where does such a unique, abstract artistic technique emerge and what might have inspired it? I have observed Chircop’s artworks on numerous occasions. I recall a specific moment encountering Chircop’s works in an exhibition that took place at Dar Ċentrali of the Nationalist Party in Pietà. This was my first time seeing his artworks, I was only about eleven years old at the time. His work left a mark in my psyche, leading me to broaden my artistic knowledge so that I could analyse and appreciate it. After the artist’s demise in 2015, we have been left with a large corpus of artworks which are exhibited all around the world. There are several academics who continue to write tributes to the artist as can be read in Dr Charlene Vella’s essay in Treasures of Malta 64, Christmas 2015, where she states the following: ‘The death of Alfred Chircop in 2015 has left Malta a duller place.’ Furthermore, Professor Joseph Paul Cassar, who wrote an article about the artist on the 15th of May 2015 in the Times of Malta newspaper, featuring the following remarks: ‘The demise of abstract painter Alfred Chircop on April 26 has robbed Malta of the constant rebirth of colourful compositions that adorned our major exhibition halls.’ Despite these tributes, it seems to be an innate human response to fear something which cannot be fully understood. This would have been the logical reason as to why abstract expressionism in Malta seemed to be not well documented or promoted in its early years. Moreover, this might be the plausible explanation as to why Alfred Chircop was unfortunately overlooked at times. Although it is important to mention that his involvement in The Modern Art Circle, which was a group of upcoming artists who shared their ideologies, had several artistic debates and helped each other grow as artists. By being a member of this group Chircop earned the title and honour in being one of the pillars of modern art in Malta. The first chapter of this thesis will focus on the biography of the artist, mainly his artistic career with reference to the Modern Art Circle and his teaching career. The second chapter deals with an in-depth study on the inspirations and influences which shaped Alfred Chircop’s peculiar artistic style and palette throughout the years. This chapter will also address themes of religion, spirituality, cosmic philosophy, music and poetry. Chapter three will include an analysis of select artworks by the artist, comparing them to the artistic standards of his local and international contemporaries and context. To conclude, in chapter four, I will refer to the interviews conducted and provide an in-depth account of Alfred Chircop’s legacy. Given that this is a History of Art dissertation, the conclusion will raise and discuss how Chircop’s works made a revolutionary impact on the history of Modern art After the main text there are three appendices: Appendix A is a list of Chircop’s solo and collective exhibitions with photographs and copies of brochures (when such evidence could be identified and sourced). Appendix B features a select catalogue of artworks collated as part of the research process of this dissertation. This appendix serves to create a timeline of Chircop’s artistic development throughout the years and is organized by decade for easier referencing. Finally, Appendix C, contains unabridged copies of the online interviews and questionnaires conducted during the research process and ends with an essay by Victor Vella that shares his views on the life and work of Alfred Chircop.