The Valletta 2018 Foundation is endorsing EX LIBRIS, an exhibition of metal art created by Danish artist Marie Louise Kold. The exhibition centers on inspiration which comes from the metal, metallurgy, chemistry and alchemy themed, centuries-old books at the Bibliotheca in Valletta. Both the books themselves and their scientific content have inspired metal artworks that pull history the present, often containing text etched so deeply into metal sheets that it conveys a sense of uncertainty as to whether it will last forever or disintegrate, much like the actual books themselves.

Working with copper, bronze and brass, which she ages chemically in complex processes, the artist has created “books”, scrolls and other artefacts that often contain text in one way or another, sometimes very fragmented, with patinas that provide natural colour to the metals.  These interact with the unique surroundings of the Bibliotheca. Marie Louise Kold uses a medium that is normally intransigent, but which is transformed by chemicals (often quoted in the old books themselves) into a vibrant artistic statement on the persistence of human emotion.

EX LIBRIS is a multi-faceted exploration across many fields of knowledge, bridging the past and the present, juxtaposing permanence and transience, challenging certainty and intuition, and melding science and art. This deeply emotional and thought-inspiring exhibition, curated by Ġorġ Mallia, also presents an aesthetic experience that is sure to please anybody who visits the Bibliotheca between the 7th of May and the 2nd of June 2018.