The 56th edition of the National Competition and Exhibition of Photography, which is organised annually by the Malta Photographic Society, opens on Friday 10 December 2021 at the Malta Society of Arts’ (MSA) seat Palazzo de La Salle in Valletta.
This yearly appointment, the only one of its kind on our islands, attracts a large number of local photographers who submit their best works to compete for the honours awarded by the Malta Photographic Society. The works with the highest artistic qualities are then displayed as part of the prestigious exhibition that year after year attracts numerous visitors.
Through this event, the Malta Photographic Society offers the opportunity to its members and others who practice this form of art to have their works exhibited; something that is not always easy to do on an individual basis. The Malta Photographic Society’s work never stops when it comes to offering exhibition spaces to photographers, putting them on par with other artists in other art forms, giving photography the prominence it deserves.
This year saw a record number of submissions for the photographic competition. In total, 81 photographers submitted 720 photos. From these, the jury chose the best works to be exhibited at Palazzo de La Salle.
Visitors to the MSA’s Art Galleries will be able to enjoy more than 100 printed and framed photographs, as well as over 150 digital photos displayed on a monitor. As the exhibition has an open theme, the subjects captured by the camera lenses often vary widely and include portraits, nature, architecture, local and international landscapes, as well as more creative works. All photos were selected by nine members of an expert jury, which had the arduous task of picking the winners in each category and choosing the photos that will form part of the exhibition.
As the title suggests, this competition has been taking place for 56 years. The event has become an eagerly awaited yearly appointment not only for the members of the Malta Photographic Society, which this year is celebrating its 60th anniversary, but also for all the amateur and professional photographers who look forward to this yearly event to exhibit their best works.
The top works in the four categories of Colour Prints, Monochrome Prints, Colour Projected Images and Monochrome Projected Images were awarded Gold, Silver and Bronze medals. Honourable mentions were also given for quality works that did not make the top three places. Special awards were also given for the Best Portrait, Best Landscape, Best Still Life, Best Nature, Best Architecture, Best Creative and Best Street Photography works.
The 56th National Competition & Exhibition of Photography 2021 organised by the Malta Photographic Society will be open from Friday 10 December to Thursday 23 December 2021 and from Monday 3 January to Friday 7 January 2022. Opening hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 7pm, and Saturdays 9am to 2pm. Entrance is free subject to Covid-19 safety measures. Anyone who would like a guide should contact the MPS on info@mpsmalta.com. For more details about the exhibition please visit www.artsmalta.org or www.facebook.com/maltasocietyofarts.
