Mario Finlayson Gallery 10th Anniversary

After being closed for renovations, the Mario Finlayson gallery has now reopened and is looking better than ever to mark its 10th anniversary. The gallery celebrates Gibraltar’s heritage and identity, featuring work from Mario Finlayson, Gustavo Bacarisas and others, and has added a new room with works by Christian Hook. Today’s episode was recorded live from the Mario Finlayson gallery, as they hosted an open day for its reopening. Minister for Culture Christian Santos was a friend of Mario Finlayson and no stranger to City Hall from his time as Mayor. He told us how grateful he was that Mario Finlayson was able to experience the gallery before his passing. One of Gibraltar’s most renowned current artists Christian Hook highlighted how important it is for locals to see the evolution of Gibraltarian art and inspire future generations of artists, and told us how Mario Finlayson encouraged him to pursue a career in art.Mercedes Corbacho knows Gibraltarian art very well. She’s the Director of Museo Cruz Herera de La Linea, and also works as a restorer. As a result, she has a close relationship with Gibraltarian artists and their pieces.Alice Mascarenhas has family ties to Mario Finlayson, and has fond memories of interviewing him throughout her career. She told us how Mario carried the history of local art with him, and felt strongly that Gibraltar needed a national art gallery. She’s put together a panel that will be celebrating the legacy of Mario Finlayson.From one family member to another: Richard Gomila, known from the band Vibrations, also happens to be Mario Finlayson’s nephew. He recounted how much creative flare Mario had, and how he loved not just painting but other forms of art too. Chief Cultural Officer Seamus Byrne has, along with his team, have worked incredibly hard to renovate the gallery. He feels strongly about how every painting tells a story, and how their work will be remembered for generations to come. Davina Barbara is part of the team from Cultural Services told us how thrilled she is to see such great feedback from visitors to the new and improved gallery. We put her on the spot to try and pick a favourite Gibraltarian artist, but found that she was spoilt for choice.And having recently won the Spring Visual Arts competition, local artist Naomi Duarte shared her excitement in being part of the renovation project, and how inspiring it is to be surrounded by so many local works. She’s keen to promote Gibraltarian art to young people in the future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.