History has preserved the collections of several prominent collectors, their discerning eye, measured taste and connoisseurship assembles the finest pieces under a single roof. This collection, draws together the work of 29 radically different artists from across the globe, including Gilbert and George, Ai Weiwei and Tracey Emin among several others. The thread which connects the artists' work is the collector, namely Norbert Francis Attard.
The work presented in this exhibition, is a reflection of the collector's attuned eye. Not connected thematically and eclectic by its very nature, it represents a collection which has grown organically, slowly over decades. The exhibition illustrates his ever-evolving tastes, his varying interests thus capturing moments in time.
The exhibition's title is firmly grounded in the definition of the word Cumulus. The word has two varying meanings, one referring to an 'accumulation' or 'a collection of several things grouped together as a whole.' Its second meaning, though loosely connected, touches on a specific type of cloud formation. Derived from the Latin word 'cumulus,' meaning 'heap' or 'pile,' cumulus clouds are detached, individual, cauliflower-shaped clouds typically seen in fair weather conditions. When illuminated by the sun, the tops of these clouds are brilliant white tufts, though their bases are often relatively dark. The two definitions capture the very essence behind this collective exhibition.
Cumulus puts forward just a small part of the collection; it is brought together to open the door to the Norbert Francis Attard Foundation's collections. To invite the public to peer into a collection of contemporary art, amassed over half a century, to spark debate and intrigue.
Valletta Contemporary, designed by its director, artist and architect, Norbert Francis Attard and run by Meta Foundation, a non-profit organisation, opened in 2018 as Malta’s newest space for contemporary art. Located at the lower East End of Valletta, the space was conceived as a home for cultural dialogue. With its lofty volumes and pared-back materiality, the gallery houses contemporary art of varying scope, size and medium. Visitors are exposed to works by both world-renowned and emerging contemporary artists, with exhibitions that showcase a range of artistic disciplines and themes–from fine art photography, to light sculpture, video art, and large-scale installations. Valletta Contemporary runs regular outreach programs, as well as diverse educational and knowledge-sharing initiatives which involves both practising artists as well as the local community. Valletta Contemporary is a place where one may experience the uniting of the past and the present; that is, contemporary art in a city with a rich historical background.
