Exhibition: Women in Malta – Davinia Galea
Locations: Malta Chamber of Commerce
Davinia Galea – Managing Director of ARC Research and Consultancy, musician and Cultural event producer
She is beautiful and slender. I love people’s smiles, the warmth and gentleness in them, it brightens you up.
Women have the quality that they can show their warmth, vulnerability and determination all at the same time.
The first time I met her was at the art performance “Pan the Goat God” by Ruben Zahra. Her leg was in bandage. She wore flat shoes and walked slowly. When she came to my studio she was on high heels, it made me felt she was more herself.
I wanted to photograph her when I first met her. I was introduced by a friend, “She was the CEO of the arts council. “ I was like, “wow, really?” She has the elegance and gentlewoman’s quality. My mind was totally blank when I was talking to her, not a particular long conversation but I don’t remember what I was talking to her. All I had in mind was, I would love to photograph this woman, I can make her look stunning like no one ever known that side of her before. It’s not a challenge, she is beautiful already, but why other people don’t see what I see? I have to show them, but how?
I believe I have the gift to see the beauty inside people and I’m grateful and fortunately to pick up A camera in my early age, learnt the skill and able to apply it to my art work today, photography becomes a media to express my feeling and emotion.
She is a culture program producer, I had so many questions that I wanted to ask her. As she sat down in my studio, I started to ask her about people I should contact and the choice for exhibition location. We discuss a lot about it and she was very good and was brain storming, telling me her ideas about the exhibition, what I can do etc. She was very kind, giving me her time and knowledge, I was very inspired.
She didn’t look at the time, not at all. She enjoys the moment. The quality of spending time with these 15 women have been really good and amazing. They care, respect and input 100% of themselves when they have someone in front of them. it’s the human connection that we are slowing losing today. I really appreciate the quality of time they spent with me.
Her work is about changing mentally, push things to happen. She feels lucky to had the job that she had the opportunity to make a difference to Malta. She love the challenge.
She said, “It’s not a job, it’s my life. “
She is a pianist, she is an artist herself, for her it’s very easy to understand other artists, her quality makes the job and communication easier. She has a lot of support from abroad, people know about her, love to work with her.
1)When you feel down, what you usually do to make yourself feel better? How do you deal with stress?
Eat chocolate. How do you deal with stress? recognise it, accept it, and focus on my strengths. Keep calm and positive.
2)What you enjoy the most about your work?
It stimulates me and hopefully, many a time, others benefit from it.
3)Have you been professionally photographed before? How did you feel? (Before the shoot with Amanda)
Yes. Not really keen on it.
4)If you knew then what you know now, what
would you tell your 18-year-old self?
“If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster, and treat those two impostors just the same.” From Rudyard Kipling’s poem ‘If’.
5)When things get tough, how do you keep your- self going?
Think, reflect, and move on.
6) How do you define success?
By doing the best you can do, being courageous, and having integrity.