Christopher Saliba
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A Sacred Dialogue

4/15/2026

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A Sacred Dialogue was conceived as a quiet yet deeply reflective encounter between contemporary art and the sacred. This joint exhibition, presented during the Holy Week period at the Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Victoria, Gozo, brought my work into dialogue with the sculptural practice of Mario Sammut. Rather than relying on traditional religious iconography, the exhibition sought to open a contemplative space where faith, doubt, suffering and hope could be explored through a contemporary visual language. 

My contribution revisits moments from the life and Passion of Christ, not in an illustrative or devotional sense, but as human experiences charged with vulnerability and quiet intensity. Through painting, sculpture and mixed media, I aimed to distil these narratives into expressive forms where colour, gesture and atmosphere carry emotional and symbolic weight. Figures often appear partially dissolved or indistinct - a conscious choice that allows the observer to inhabit the work and recognise themselves within these moments of uncertainty, fragility and grace.
 
The exhibition was curated by Joseph Calleja and unfolded as a true dialogue -  not only between two artists working in different media, but between past and present, material presence and spiritual search. Displayed within the seminary’s contemplative setting, the works invited slow looking and inward reflection, allowing meaning to emerge gently rather than through prescription. 
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Ultimately, A Sacred Dialogue proposed the sacred as something lived and felt, rather than formally defined - a space where contemporary art becomes a vessel for shared human experience, and where light, even when fragile, continues to emerge from moments of darkness and doubt.

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Encounter - from concept to creation.

4/15/2026

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Encounter evolved from an earlier conceptual proposal that explored my long-standing fascination with the megalithic structures of Ġgantija and their relevance to contemporary identity. Over time, the idea was refined into a minimalist sculptural dialogue: two upright forms conceived as modern megaliths, reduced to their essential presence while retaining symbolic weight.

Throughout the development process, I focused on balance - between mass and void, proximity and distance, past and present. The circular opening that emerges when the two forms are read together became central to the work, referencing Neolithic oracle holes and the cyclical nature of time, while also creating a moment of light and pause within the composition. The choice of corten steel allowed the sculpture to age gracefully, its surface evolving naturally in response to the environment, much like stone shaped by centuries.

​Encounter
was commissioned by the Ministry for Gozo and Planning through its Public Art Scheme, as part of a wider initiative to introduce contemporary artworks into Gozo’s public spaces. Installed at a key junction linking communities, the work was conceived not only as a landmark, but as an invitation to reflect on continuity, heritage and progress within the rhythm of everyday life.

​Placed within the public realm, Encounter invites reflection in everyday life. It asks us to consider where we come from, where we stand, and how our shared history continues to shape who we are becoming.


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    Hi! Thank you for visiting my  blog where you find updates related to my projects and new artworks. 

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