Attard Norbert Francis

Born in Sliema, Malta in 1951. Based on the island of Gozo, Malta. Norbert Francis Attard is renowned for his poetic and varied approaches to artistic projects. He deliberately combines social, cultural, political, scientific and religious themes with a bold arrangement of diverse unorthodox materials. His works are always meticulously constructed with an architect’s disciplined eye for detail. He works out of his studio that is based on the nearby Mediterranean island of Gozo. Malta has been central to the history of the ancient world and, as a result, is a blending of cultures and languages with strong religious and historic influences. Out of this has come an independent and fiercely proud nation. His formal training was in the field of Architecture, practicing his profession for twenty years until 1996. He turned to installation in 1997. He is now applying his architectural skills and sensibilities to creating multi-media works and sculpture which are usually site-specific and ephemeral in nature. He employs several disciplines including architecture, sculpture, video and photography. Fundamental to his work is the incorporation of the physical site. Its interrelatedness with his vision challenges the application of all of his skills. He combines artistic elements with intense personal themes. A real connection to real conditions, be they visual, historical or social. Giving new meaning to a particular site by manipulating the environment, introducing new elements, including the participation and intervention of the public, to change or redirect the viewer’s perception. His work is multi-layered causing shifts of meaning, a displacement of signs and symbols that create unsettling tension. Bold poetic use of irony, duality, dichotomy and ambivalence combining every-day objects and materials has become readily recognizable in his work.