Joe Xuereb

Joe Xuereb was born on 26th June 1954 and lives in Ghajnsielem, the first village the visitor meets after landing in Mgarr harbour. He studied art at the Gozo Lyceum but his career really launched itself off in the 1970's, after working and studying under the tutelage of the late British archaelogist Marie Claridge, then active at her 'Gozo 20' studio on the outskirts of Ghajnsielem. He discovered his artistic inspiration in Neolithic sculpture, a field rarely exploited by other local artists and over the years, though his message has cut across universal boundaries, has made his reputation by specializing in this type of art.

Xuereb's art is, therefore, closely linked with the prehistoric past of Gozo, a small island with its own distinctive character, going back to Neolithic times. His medium, the soft globigerina limestone of Gozo, is highly adapted to his working technique, using traditional tools inherited from his father, a traditional stone mason in his younger days.

Joe Xuereb is married to Miriam and is the proud father of Lorna and Klara. In the seventies he was one of the leading lights of his village's Cultural Society, then a dynamic force in Gozo cultural circles.

He has made his name known beyond the confines of Malta and has had numerous exhibitions throughout Europe, where he has exhibited in the Dutch university city of Groningen, Paris, Berlin and other major German cities as well as mounting a path-breaking show at the Lincoln Centre in New York. Since 1998, his work has been permanently on display at 'SOL' Sculpture Gallery of Siena, Italy and has also executed some large pieces for the Chianti Sculpture Park located in the Tuscany region.

In 1992, the Dutch magazine "Woonbeeld' has featured prominently Joe's work following his first personal exhibition outside his homeland. In 1999, his work was selected and given extensive coverage in the CNN programme 'ArtClub' that dealt about Maltese art. Today he runs his own Sculpture Gallery which has already been visited by clients coming from over 70 countries. His works are found in private collections ranging from Germany, France, Holland, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, United Kingdom, South Africa, and Australia to Florida, California , Minnesota in the U.S.A.

My work is inspired by the remains of the Neolithic era of Maltese pre-history. Malta’s Neolithic past is among its most precious heritages.

I focus mainly on the female figure with its obvious manifestation of fertility and on emotions and relationships emerging from this archetype.

I have based my philosophy of art on this figure because it highlights the maternal aspect of our Maltese civilization where the figure of the female principle has been a recurrent leitmotif, not least in the religious sphere.

While my sculpture is rooted in the fertile soil of my country’s prehistory, it tries to transcend this basic heritage by treating universal themes such as love, protection, unity and fecundity arising naturally from its premises.

My subconscious plays a central role in my artistic philosophy. I have been influenced by certain basic themes which recur in my thoughts even my dreams and which inspire my oeuvre.

1985 Grand Hotel Beau Rivage, Interlaken, Switzerland
1989 National Museum of Fine Arts, Valletta, Malta
1993 Leeuwenhorst Congres Centrum, Noordwijkerhout, Netherlands
1996 Lincoln Center, New York, U. S. A
1998 Malta Expo, Sarasota, Florida, U.S.A
2000 C.I.I.S. San Fransisco, California, U.S.A
2001 “Neolithia”, Mediterranean Conference Centre, Valletta, Malta.
2005 Salon International de Bourges, Bourges, France

1990 Maltafest Sculpture Exhibition, San Anton Gardens, Malta
1992 Kijkbungalow Minerva, Groningen, Netherlands
1994 Maritim Konferenzhotel, Darmstadt, Germany
1995 Maritim Hotel, Stuttgart, Germany
1995 Galerie KonCept, Sommerhausen, Germany
1995 Dresdner Bank, Heidelberg, Germany.
1995 Les Caves Saint Sabin, Paris, France.
1997 Weiterbildungszentrum, Duesseldorf, Germany.
1997 Galerie Etage del Arte, Adenau, Germany.
1999 Rathaus, Heitersheim, Germany.
1999 Katholische Akademie,Hamburg, Germany.
1999 Schloss Hugenpoet Hotel, Essen, Germany.
1999 Marriot Hotel, Bremen, Germany.
2001 Wrangelschlösschen, Steglitz, Berlin, Germany.
2004 Palazzo Affari ai Giureconsulti, Milano, Italy.                                                                     2009 Knights of St John "Loggia" Victoria, Gozo. Malta.                                                           2015 "Cultural days Malta 2015" - Euroipean Central bank, Frankfurt, Germany.                   2022 "An Ode in Stone", The Phoenicia Malta, Floriana, Malta.