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Artist Statement:
Mario Abela explores how humans and nature interact during the Anthropocene era. His speculative art encourages us to think about the fragile balance that supports life. He suggests that there is a fundamental interconnectedness where all beings exist together in a deeply relational state—a place where entities both come into existence and eventually fade away. Abela aims to inspire us to rethink time and space, moving away from linear and conventional ways of understanding the world.
Biography:
Mario Abela is a Gozitan artist whose works
draws from diverse mediums and techniques, mainly painting, drawing and collage. His background is in art and history education, and digital arts.
Abela received numerous accolades: including being longlisted for the 2018 Aesthetica Art Prize (USA) and was also a finalist for the Spring 2023 - Hopper Art Prize (USA), among others. His works have been exhibited in various group and solo shows: ‘Wood Love Some Space’ (2015) at Art..e Gallery, ‘Disclocated Geographies’ (2018) at Spazju Kreattiv, ‘Leave at Dawn - Return by Dusk’ (2019) at Vini e Capricci and ‘Shadows of a Wanderer’ (2023) an online media exhibition.
Abela is a senior lecturer by profession at the Malta College of Arts, Science & Technology - Institute for the Creative Arts.
Solo Shows:
Shadows Of A Wanderer; online media exhibition; 2023
Covid-eo Of A Thought; online media exhibition; 2020
Leave at Dawn - Return by Dusk; Abraham’s Arte at Vini e Capricci, Gozitano, Xewkija, Gozo, Malta; 2019
Dislocated Geographies; Spazju Kreattiv – St. James Cavalier, Valletta, Malta; 2018
Wood Love Some Space; Art..e Gallery, Victoria, Gozo, Malta; 2015/2016
Collective Shows:
Far Reach, R-Gallery at Mahalla Berlin, (during the Berlin Art Week), Germany; 2023
Anthropo Sans Future, at Christine X Gallery, Sliema, Malta; 2022
Anthropos, (Mario Abela, Victor Agius, and Tony Briffa) Arthall Gallery, Victoria, Gozo, Malta; 2021
the in-between place of drawing & sound #2, an audio-visual performance at the Malta Electronic Music Conference / / by EMM - Spazju Kreattiv, St James Cavalier, Valletta, Malta; 2019
Wiki Loves Art 2019, Art from the Fondazzjoni Kreattività, Spazju Kreattiv, St James Cavalier, Valletta, Malta; 2019
The World is No Longer Flat, European Court of Auditors, Luxembourg; 2018
Remembering the Future, Spazju Kreattiv, St James Cavalier, Valletta, Malta; 2018
the in-between place of drawing & sound #1, an audio-visual performance at Generic Wedding, dorothea.space, Gozo, Malta; 2018
Cosmic Perspectives, Ugly Duck, London; 2018
Being Us – Mario Abela & Justin Falzon: Art..e Gallery, Gozo, Malta; 2018
Constellations: Art Licks Weekend, The Crypt, St John on Bethnal Green, London; 2017
Residency Final Show; Chiesa di San Francesco, Atina, Italy; 2017
Of Spatial Concerns; Malta Stock Exchange, Valletta, Malta; 2016
Divergent Thinkers 03; Blitz Gallery, Valletta Malta; 2014 – Brussels; 2014
Duke of Edinburgh Room 36; Sentinella Hall, The Gozo Citadel, Gozo, Malta; 2013
Religionis Violenta; The London Westbank Gallery, United Kingdom; (Runner-up winner after Magnus Gjoen); 2012
Traces of Traces; Spazju Kreattiv, St James Cavalier, Valletta, Malta; 2012
¨Why art cannot be taught¨ Curator James Elkins. Collective Exhibition at Spazju Kreattiv, St James Cavalier, Valletta, Malta; 2006
Rewards:
Hopper Price; Finalist Spring - 2023
https://hopperprize.org/mario-abela/
FUTURE NOW; Aesthetica Magazine UK. Top 100 artists featured in Aesthetica Magazine. http://www.aestheticamagazine.com/profile/mario-abela/
Residencies:
Lumen Art Residency; Atina, Italy; 2017 – www.lumenstudios.co.uk
Education:
Masters in Fine Arts (MFA) Digital Arts – University of Malta; 2013
Bachelor of Education – University of Malta; 2005