GEMA Gallery reopens today after rededication

GEMA Gallery will reopen today marking over 50 years of the Gibraltar International Art competition with a rededication.

GEMA Gallery in Montagu Bastion recently marked its 10th anniversary in November last year and the team at Gibraltar Cultural Services have been working for months on the project to rededicate the space.

Today, the gallery will hold an open day with interactive activities available for visitors from 10am to 6pm.

Chief Cultural Officer Seamus Byrne described how the gallery was a commitment by the current administration when former Culture Minister Steven Linares found the location, which was previously used as a store.

The historic military bastion was emptied and transformed into a thriving gallery.

Over the past decade, the gallery has hosted a wide range of exhibitions, activities and collaborations, including exhibitions, rededications, educational projects, fitness sessions and youth-focused initiatives.

“We have seen amazing projects and activities taking place throughout the last 10 years, for example, we've had various exhibitions and rededications,” Mr Byrne said.
“We've had cooking demonstrations as well.”

Mark Montovio held cooking demonstrations, Cook in the Hook, when the first vault of the gallery was dedicated to Christian Hook's work.

The space has previously been rededicated to the Young Artist Competition which is sponsored by local philanthropist Kishin Alwani, who loaned his collection of winning pieces to the Gallery.

“Mr Alwani has been an amazing individual whose altruistic support for culture goes beyond and above anyone's call of duty,” Mr Byrne said.

“He's always there to support us. We thought at that time it was important to do a rededication with his work.”

Mr Byrne highlighted collaborations with the Gibraltar Youth Service, projects linked to Women’s Day such as La Maleta and the Memory Project by the Movement Collective.

He also pointed out major exhibitions, such as Victor Quintanilla’s of stunning sculptures made from metal.
Kitchen Studios has also played a significant role, holding exhibitions and workshops since GEMA opened and a three-month ‘takeover’ of the Gallery as part of the 10th anniversary programme.

“It was Kitchen Studios that really brought this to life in 2015, prior to the official opening in November,” Mr Byrne said.

“It was Kitchen Studios who had this space for three months, and they did amazing projects.”

“What we've done this year, again, is to pay tribute again to them, and allow them to use the space for different activities.”

Kitchen Studios will continue to offer workshops for young people on the last Thursday of every month, with the first session on ‘mark making’ scheduled for Thursday, January 29.

The group will also organise a Drink and Draw event as part of the celebrations, featuring live music by Little Princess on Friday, February 6.

The current rededication focuses on more than 50 years of the Gibraltar International Art competition, which began as the Gibraltar Open at the John Mackintosh Hall.

Hung on the walls of the Gallery are many of the winning works of the International Art competition from well known Gibraltarian and international artists.

The artists include Christian Hook, Mario Finlayson, Batsheba Peralta, Freddie Poggio, Elio Cruz, Willa Vazquez, Karl Ullger, and Cecilio Chaves.

He pointed out how Freddie Poggio won the competition in 1979, and again in 2014, with artworks inspired by the Cathedral of St Mary the Crowned. Both paintings now hang in the Gallery.

He added that the curation has been done by Head of Cultural Development Davina Barbara and the development team at GCS.

Mr Byrne described how the International Art competition has changed over the years and, under his tenure, the prize money for the first prize was increased from £3,000 to £5,000.

The exhibition also includes video installations exploring the history of GEMA Gallery, a children’s area, and late journalist Manolo Mascarenhas’ 1960s Radio Gibraltar programme Palabras al Viento, which Mr Byrne underscored was an important story to continue telling.

He said one of the main challenges the gallery has faced over the years is due to water ingress from structures above the bastion, requiring constant maintenance work.

Looking ahead, he said an artists’ corner will be introduced from April 2026, allowing artists to exhibit work for three months, sell pieces and give presentations.

He said that, to develop the Gallery, there needs to be close engagement with the Gibraltar Tourist Board to encourage more visitors to the gallery, alongside ongoing art and street art tours.

Mr Byrne added that further improvements are needed to make the gallery more inviting, including addressing issues around parking near the site.