Victor Pasmore Gallery

The Victor Pasmore Foundation was set up in 2012 by John Pasmore, Mary Nice, David Tonna and Richard England, chaired by the late artist’s wife Wendy Pasmore.  The object of this Foundation was to conserve and promote Pasmore’s work as a lasting patrimony of 20th century art and to document his influence on the then current Malta art scene and the artists of the time.  Victor Pasmore was one of the leading abstract painters of the 20th century.  His paintings, constructions, and prints are displayed at the Tate Modern in the UK, the Museum of Modern Art in New York and numerous other leading galleries and collections.  For over 30 years, Pasmore worked from his Gudja house in Malta.

In 2014 through the initiative of Governor Josef Bonnici and the Central Bank Board, the Pasmore Foundation signed an agreement with the Central Bank of Malta to host a permanent exhibition of the artist’s work in the gunpowder magazine within the grounds of the Central Bank of Malta Annexe known as the Polverista.  The Polverista building which originally formed part of the 17th-century outer fortifications of Valletta was re-built in the mid-19th century by the British to house more gunpowder barrels.

Initially, it was refurbished by the Central Bank and used as one of the Bank’s Conference Rooms.  Once the Central Bank allocated the premises to host the Pasmore works, the building was once again refurbished to provide adequate facilities to function as a state of the art gallery.  A collection of paintings by the artist was generously provided by the Pasmore family and the Pasmore Family Foundation.  The refurbishment, in the hands of foundation member Richard England, necessitated flexible hanging rails for the paintings and a highly sophisticated lighting system suitable for art gallery purposes.

The lighting installed provides a flexible system mounted on movable rails.  The installation and design were excellently handled by Lighting Design Solutions.  The final result provides excellent illumination for both ambiance lighting and individual highlighting of each of the works exhibited.

Richard England Hon. FAIA