John Leaver

John Busuttil Leaver Maltese artist & graphic designer
'Floating Spirit', oil on canvas by John Busuttil Leaver, 2008

John Busuttil Leaver is a visual artist from the Mediterranean Island Republic of Malta. He studied art under Harry Alden at the Government School of art, then by attending The Art and Design Centre which today is known as the MCAST Institute of Art & Design. Drawing and oil painting are his preferred media. He is philosophical about his work and sees what he does as non-commercial: a statement about the contemporary and its preservation for posterity.

He has been culturally active by participating in many collectives.[1][2] He spent some years writing about contemporary art in the press.[3] His first important one-man exhibition was held at the National Museum of Fine Arts, Valletta, Malta in 1997. Other one-man shows followed in various galleries and art venues.[1] His largest show named 'A Diary of Obsessions', was held in 2008, at the prestigious Saint James Cavalier Centre for Creativity in Valletta. In April 2014 he exhibited work in London.

His work was given recognition by a number of art critics and curators. He was included in Nicholas de Piro's, Dictionary of Artists who painted Malta,[4] and in Michael J. Schiavone's, "Dictionary of Maltese Biographies".[5] Art critics, Emanuel Fiorentino,[6] Dominic Cutajar,[7] Dennis Vella,[8] Adrian Stivala[9] and Raphael Vella[10] covered his exhibitions. Art curator Dr Louis Lagana gave the inaugural speech for the 2008 show and published an article about this work.[11] The Times ran a major feature about this exhibition.[12] It had also published two full page interviews on previous occasions.[13][14] A Maltese language annual featured a painting on its front cover.[15] He won a number of art competitions[16] and was featured in radio[17] and TV programmes[18] most noteworthy of which was a Canadian TV Cultural programme, 'TV Frames', during their feature on Malta.

Chronology, list of exhibitions

Collective

Personal

See also

References

  1. 1 2 See list below
  2. ↑ Contemporary Christian Art in Malta, 1996, The Mdina Cathedral Museum, Mdina, Malta 1996. ISBN 9990951063 p.45. Contemporary Christian Art Malta, 2007, The Mdina Cathedral Museum, Mdina, Malta 2007. ISBN 9789990951158 p.28
  3. ↑ John Busuttil Leaver “Malta through the eyes of a French photographer”, The Times, 20 November 1986. John Busuttil Leaver “Langlois – A life in Art”, The Times, 7 June 1987. John Busuttil Leaver “Art in Malta today”,The Times, 28 June 1987. John Busuttil Leaver “Pitre’s Baroque Variations”, The Times, 16 Oct 1987. John Busuttil Leaver “Andrew Diacono’s “Clay People”, The Times, 7 Jan 1988. John Busuttil Leaver “Four distinct paths in one exhibition”, The Times, 3 Nov 1989. John Busuttil Leaver “Twin search for esoteric language”, The Times, 22 Dec 1989. John Busuttil Leaver “An Arts Centre or a Contemporary Art Museum?”, The Malta Independent, 9 March 1997. John Busuttil Leaver “Art & Superman Politics”, The Malta Independent, 10 May 1998' John Busuttil Leaver “Business in art is business, but the business of art is not business”, The Malta Independent, 11 Oct 1998. John Busuttil Leaver “The State of the Art”, The Malta Independent, 7 March 1999. John Busuttil Leaver “Sex, Spirituality and loss in Mediterranean Art”, The Malta Independent, 1 Aug 1999
  4. ↑ Nicholas de Piro, The International Dictionary of Artists who painted Malta, (AVC Publications, Malta, 2002). ISBN 9993264601. P.74
  5. ↑ Michael J. Schiavone , "Dictionary of Maltese Biographies" Pubblikazzjonijet Indipendenza. Malta, 2009. ISBN 9789993291329 p. 364-365
  6. ↑ E. Fiorentino, "Feelers of the mind" The Sunday Times, 27 November 1988, E. Fiorentino, "Trying new possibilities" The Sunday Times, December 1991, E. Fiorentino, "Majjistral experienced in a Gregale" The Sunday Times, 23 March 1997, E. Fiorentino, "Manscapes at the Labyrinth" The Sunday Times, 6 June 1999, E. Fiorentino, "The cloths of Heaven" The Sunday Times, 24 November 2002
  7. ↑ Dominic Cutajar, "Leaver: Majjistral”, Exhibition Catalogue, 1997. Dominic Cutajar, “Leaver Paintings”, Exhibition Catalogue, 1988.
  8. ↑ Denis Vella, “Questing Spirit” The Times, 30 November 1988
  9. ↑ Adrian Stivala, “Intimate Art”, The Weekend Chronicle, Malta, 18 December 1988. Adrian Stivala, “Scenes from everyday life” The Times, Malta, 21 December 1991
  10. ↑ Raphael Vella, “The humanness of stone”, The Malta Independent, Malta, 30 May 1999
  11. ↑ Louis Lagana, "A Pied Piper's Diary of Obsessions,” Grip Magazine, Malta, 2009
  12. ↑ 'New page in a diary of a visual realist', The Times, 31 October 2008, Malta. p.26-27
  13. ↑ 'Weekender talks to artist John Busuttil Leaver' The Times, Weekender supplement, 20 November 2004, Malta. p.3
  14. ↑ 'The last word – John Busuttil Leaver' The Times, Weekender Supplement,18 May 2002, Malta. p.10
  15. ↑ 'Il-Malti', Rivista tal-Akkademja tal-Malti, Malta, 2011, ISBN 9789993273509
  16. ↑ Worldwide third prize in the IFSTS International Poster Award, Spain, 1985; see article in The Times, 12 September, Malta, 1985 First prize for painting in the 1995 Teacher's Whiskey Art Awards held and judged by the National Museum of Fine Arts, Malta, 1995; see Lara Stickland, 'An Exhibition of Interiors', The Times, 21 December, Malta, 1991. First prize for the logo design competition of "Dancepower" (Dance Council of Malta), 2000; see front cover,'Dance Power A unity of dancers', programme, Manoel Theatre, Valletta, Malta 2000
  17. ↑ Interview in Kuluri (Colours) cultural programme, on ''Voice of the Mediterranean'' Radio (1997, 1999)
  18. ↑ Min hu l'Artist Malti? (Who are Maltese Artists?) Super 1 TV, Malta, 1999; Meander, on TVM, Malta, 1997, 1999 & 2002

External links

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