Reluctant Modernism: The Art of Ġużeppi Briffa

A major retrospective of Ġużeppi Briffa brings together an exceptional selection of 110 works, showcasing the breadth and versatility of this remarkably prolific artist’s career. The exhibition highlights the many dimensions of his practice, from his contributions to church art and his accomplished draughtsmanship to his painterly approach and thoughtful engagement with popular culture. Structured around five thematic sections, the exhibition explores the central tension that characterises Briffa’s oeuvre. Throughout his long career, he skilfully balanced an openness to visual languages shaped by a rapidly changing world with a commitment to forms of representation that remained accessible and meaningful to a broad audience. In doing so, he embraced innovation without severing ties to the legible, narrative, and reassuring qualities that many viewers continued to value.