We were blown away when stumbling across one of Marc’s images on Facebook. The idea of shooting a Gozitan scene through a reflection of one of the many convex mirrors dotted around the island is a fantastic idea. Marc created the online exhibition to show different elements of the Island, like silence, age, and modernism and has said he will expand the collection over time as he visits Gozo often.
“Mirozo begins where realities meet, a glimpse into multiple worlds, a moment just beginning and passing whose singularity is translated into multiple perspectives.”
Marc Bartolo
Gozo in pictures: View the gallery here.
Click right or left to view Marc Bartolo’s work below.
Photo Descriptions
Accent:
This image was taken to give a feeling of the structure of Maltese/Gozitan housing architecture and the walled streets of houses leading up into the distance. Unfortunately, as this image has no recognizable landmarks, I do not remember which village it is, though I do believe it may be Xewkija. Can anyone shed any light?
Distance:
This was the first photo taken that inspired Mirozo as a photography concept. I was walking from Rabat to Gharb when the picture caught my eye. The dark boding skies played emotion into the moment, playing the light of hope against the darkened skies, as in life, we are filled with hope as we pass through darker times.
Duality:
This is the back road from Rabat to Xewkija where the two mirrors bring out the dichotomy of perspective. There are two ways to move, but which way is there a right or wrong way to go? The first mirror (B&W) shows a corner house with a road leading around it, and the colour mirror shows the road leading to Xewkija. It represents the unknown in our lives with its insecurities around the corner which we cannot see. And the recognisable in our lives, a new destination, but it feels familiar and safe.
Emperor:
This is named Emperor because of the shop sign which is “Emperor” in Germany. Living in Germany at the time, this of course caught my eye and represents the diversity of culture on the Maltese Islands. This image was photographed in Xaghra I believe.
Firewall:
This is named Firewall, due to the strong night light that beams yellow and reflects on the yellow stone walls. Like the colours of fire. It was photographed in the small square of Gharb where my father lives. The name also plays on the idea that as you can see the roads leading into the square, you can see what is all around you, you are protected by knowing as a firewall protects you.
Imprint:
This image is taken in the main square of Gharb, unfortunately, this mirror has now been changed, so the reflection seen in this image no longer exists. This is the oldest balcony in Gharb and is named after the strong, vivid impressions of age, skill, pride, and history of the Maltese Islands.
Principle:
Photographed in Xewkija, this is the church where my wife and I got married and is representative of the strong Christian religious belief on the Islands.
Uprise:
Photographed in Rabat this reflects the shopping centre Arcadia. This speaks about the uprise of Modern architecture on the Maltese Islands, replacing the old with the new. It also comments on the fact that there are a lot of the new buildings on the Maltese Island that are creating an uproar as preserving history is imperative.
All images are available to buy as Diasecs/Acrylglas, Alu-Dibond, or on Museum quality paper. Contact Marc directly to purchase your favourite or the whole collection.
About Marc Bartolo
Marc was born in Toronto, Canada and moved away for good at the age of 26. From the age of 11 he started shoveling snow and doing other odd jobs to earn money so I could buy his first SLR camera and at 12 he bought the "Canon AE-1" while on holiday in Japan. He photographed Tokyo, Kyoto, and places in between, got to know the camera, and started to discover his passion for photography. He studied photography through school and after university moved to Malta where his passion for taking photos deepened. He now lives in Germany and won first prize for photography at the Malta International Art Biennale with my Mirozo work and has held several exhibitions in several countries.
More Information: Website | Instagram | Email: marcbartolo@marcbartolo.com
