Reflections on Travel

Exhibitions

Invitation booklet - Italian Cultural Institute Exhibition
Exhibitions organised by Ken displaying important photographic projects undertaken across the globe
26/09/2009
TRADIZIONI DELLA SETTIMANA SANTA FRA ITALIA, SPAGNIA E MALTA.

- Traditions of Holy Week between Italy, Spain and Malta -

Istituto Italiano di Cultura, Valletta, Malta - 2018
Inaugurated by Italian Cultural Ambassador Dr. Salvatore Schirmo


Southern Europe across the Mediterranean has several similarities in custom and tradition which extends from food to festivities - probably nothing is more intense to the religious and profane festivities leading and related to Easter, the greatest of feasts in the Roman Catholic tradition. Throughout the centuries these traditions have changed and assimilated from each other - a great legacy can be drawn between three countries with their particular regions - mainly, Sicily in Italy, the Andalusian region of Spain and the Maltese islands. Unique traditions can be found in a number of regions which probably due to seclusion in the past have led to the formation of an independent custom of events, attire and celebrations, yet all drawn to the same Roman Catholic roots - Marsala's Veroniche, seemingly out of something from the Balkans or the Middle East, San Fratello's Gudei, very much a grotesque re-interpretation of the attire worn during Holy Week in most of these places and Prizzi's Abballu di lu Diavuli (Dance of the Devils), very much like something coming out of the Ancient Greek Theatre in the attire of the Devil are cases in point - Trapani more traditionalist holds the oldest of Italy's processions and also the longest in the 24 hour Processione dei Misteri on Good Friday, with figures similar to those found in Southern Spain yet in a sombre interpretation. The culmination of Southern Spain's Holy Week is definitely the processions of Seville, the longest in the world, almost going on for a whole week 24/7 - (yet, a main difference lies in the fact the the week is more festive in mood, with bars open, people eating and drinking and also the representation of the Statues, with Christ never crouched and in pain but rather victorious) - the Saeta singers are also very much uniquely attributed to the region, yet in regions of Sicily one finds such similar musical manifestations, normally less formal which seem to remind one of origins in Arab laments, possibly leading back to the fall of Granada in 1492 - these have in turn influenced a lot similar traditions in Italy especially the south and most particularly Sicily, still felt in one of the largest celebrations of Holy Week on this Mediterranean Island in the processions held on the mountain town of Enna. The island of Malta, lying in close proximity to both Sicily and Southern Spain, have drawn a lot from these influences most evidently from its neighbour island of Sicily.




SOGNI - ITALIA PIETROBURGO

CORINTHIA HOTEL ST.PETERSBURG
26th September – 6th October 2009

Let us imagine for a moment that we are not conscious of the iconic locations which are synonymous with Italy or St. Petersburg. And let ourselves fall into a dream – a dream in which there is no clear definition of precise locations but a reflection of two different worlds that can either be one or the other. A dream where there is no clear division between where Italy begins or Petersburg ends. An elegy, for these two close yet diverse worlds.

The photographic exhibition comprising a collection of images of Venice and St. Petersburg by photographer Ken Scicluna will have its official launching on Saturday 26th September at 17:00 at Corinthia Hotel St.Petersburg and will be running up to 6th October.

THE EVENT IS BEING ORGANISED AS PART OF THE EVENTS BY THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE FOR THE EUROPEAN DAY OF LANGUAGES IN COLLABORATION WITH CORINTHIA HOTEL ST.PETERSBURG, FULCRUM IMAGES, THE MALTESE EMBASSY FOR RUSSIA, THE MALTA COUNCIL FOR CULTURE AND THE ARTS, THE ITALIAN CULTURAL INSTITUTE, ST.PETERSBURG THE ST.PETERSBURG TIMES & THE JUST CAUSES FUND



ANIMA DI PIETROBURGO

Photographic Exhibition at The Loggia, National Museum of Fine Arts, Valletta, Malta

To be officially inaugurated on the 18th of July 2008 running up to 17th August by Dennis Vella, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, Heritage Malta


Temperatures touching -36 degrees celcius, a soft, thin blanket of snow covering the city’s architectural pattern… a ray of light cutting through the massive, yet placid colourful buildings reflected onto the water in the canal… a rainy day on which contrasting colours become more evident…

Ken Scicluna captivated by the city of the Tsars in his solitary walks into its passegeways, streets and canals let himself be inspired by the spirit of great souls who dwelled - Puskhin, Dostoevsky, Chaliapin, Ahmatova, Repin, Mussorgsky, Sokurov and the rest.

This is St. Petersburg as seen through Ken’s lens; Petersburg the city of all seasons; in which all leave its mark accentuated by contrasts – Spring, when the colourful foliage transforms the city into a magical atmosphere of light and colours; the rather dull but captivating spirit of Autumn with rainy days mirroring reflections, the chilling yet magical blanket of snow brought about in Winter and Summer with its endless nights of fascinating light.


TWO ISLANDS, TWO CONTINENTS, ONE JOURNEY

- SAKHALIN TO MALTA -

An exhibition opened by the director of the Russian Centre for Science and Culture Sergei Medvedev on the 10th of June 2008.

The images are selected to represent the main cities and regions across the journey giving an overview of Ken’s latest solo photographic expedition comprising the crossing of Russia and Europe overland - highlights include, Sakhalin, Vladivostok, Habarovsk, Irkutsk, Lake Baikal, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Berlin, Tallin, Brussels, Antwerp, Namur, Cote D’Azur, Venice, Rome, Sicily and Malta.