Pictured above: Georges Meekers and Mario Delicata for the Delicata winery, and Arkadia’s COO Antoine Portelli

The Bettija’rt | wine.art.living barrel art exhibition organised by the Delicata winery is now open to the public until 24 April at Is-Suq Tal-Belt, Valletta Food Market in Valletta, each day from 8 am till late.

Ten artists are collectively exhibiting their so called ‘bettija’rt’, which is an artwork made from a decommissioned wine barrel or ‘bettija’ in Maltese. Each finished piece reflects “the joys of wine, art and good living in Malta today and through the ages”. 

Some of the works explore unconventional techniques such as multi-patterned paintings with shape and line being driving forces. For the majority of artists, the use of colour is important and often explosive. In some cases, however, colour has been stripped away, leaving the barrel bare but covered with ingenuity and hard graft.

Following a successful call of interest for artists by Delicata, 10 artists were selected to take part in the winery’s innovative barrel art exhibition and contest organised in association with Is-Suq Tal-Belt, Valletta Food Market.

This year’s exhibiting and contending artist finalists are surrealist Joseph Barbara, talented painter and model Claire Attard Vella, multi-media artist David Xuereb, globetrotting artist Caroline Said Lawrence, expressionist Carmel Bonello, palette-knife virtuoso Francis Galea, up-and-coming artist Priscilla Gatt, ceramist and painter Donald Camilleri, multi-talented artist Sara Pace and creative illustrator Zack Ritchie.

Admission is free to encourage the public to visit, view and vote for their favourite work of art at www.delicata.com/vote/.

The recipient of the 2019 Bettija’rt Grand Prize and the runner-up, winning cash prizes and gifts, shall be determined by a final jury panel decision. The members of the jury are Anna Grima, Kevin Casha, Mariella Pisani Bencini, and Georges Meekers for the organising Delicata winery. 

Addressing the guests at the inauguration reception Delicata’s Head of Sales, Georges Meekers, praised the submitted works of art: “In my long career as a wine professional, I have seen many barrels and wine vats of all kinds but none as enthralling as these unique pieces. The judges will be hard-pressed to make a pecking order, but I’m confident in their expertise and wish all 10 artists the best of luck.” 

More information on Bettija’rt | wine.art.living can be obtained at www.delicata.com