By Roy Lie Atjam
On the occasion of Malta’s election to the United Nations Security Council H.E. Mr. Mark Anthony Pace, Ambassador of Malta in the Netherlands, organized the launching of the exhibition of paintings by the multitalented artist Lida Sherafatmand, on 20 June 2022. The venue was the new premises of the Chancellery of Malta.
After cordially welcoming his guests, Ambassador Pace delivered his remarks. Pace was elated that Malta once again has been elected to the UN Security Council. It is the second time that Malta was elected as a member of the Security Council, having been on the council between 1983 and 1984. This year on 9 June, Malta was elected again to join the UN Security Council as of 1 January 2023.
The exhibition and reception were very well attended, among the attendees were the Ambassadors from Germany, UK, Australia, North Macedonia, Cameron, Costa Rica, Croatia, Georgia, Rwanda, Cyprus, Latvia, Sweden, Belgium, Greece, Palestine, among many others, also diplomats from Nigeria, Romania, Ecuador and others. Harvard University Prof. Hauwa Ibrahim a long-time friend of Lida Sherafatmand, grace the exhibition with her presence.
Here is an extract from the Ambassador’s remarks.
“Thank you for joining us as we mark Malta’s election to the UN Security Council for 2023-2024. The last time Malta served on the Security Council was in 1983-1984, you will appreciate that this is a landmark moment for Maltese diplomacy.
We are honored and at the same time conscious of the responsibility that comes along with this election particularly as we witness the outbreak of war on our continent.
To commemorate Malta’s election tonight we are launching an exhibition by a Maltese painter. Earlier this year Lida’s paintings were exhibited at the Flower Art Museum in Aalsmeer-NL.”
“The more I hear violent news, the more I paint gentle flowers.” (Lida)
Lida’s quest to see people live happily in peace and harmony and her passion for beauty led her to the style of painting she has now adopted.
Flowers are the main physical object of Lida Sherafatmand’s paintings, they are delightful. Some of Lida’s original works on display at the Embassy of Malta were: Gentiana Lutea and Flower of wild strawberry. Further, Primula vulgaris, Spirit of dandelion, Viola gracilis, (these latter five pieces are on loan from the Natural History Museum Dr Nikola Nezlobinski in Struga, North Macedonia) Reason & Cause and Iran’s soul.
The three political science books by Cambridge University Press which feature Lida’s art on the cover were also on display. The authors include Richard Ned Lebow, Arshin Adib-Moghaddam, and Shirin Saeidi.
Lida Sherafatmand has developed a concept named Florescensism.
Florescencism is the philosophy of flowering based on human nature, with a floral language demonstrated via painting. Florescensism is derived from the Latin “flor” (flower) and carries two interrelated meanings:
1) The flowers themselves, which are the main physical object of the paintings;
2) Flowering as a metaphor used in many cultures and languages and symbolizing the flowering of an individual or an entire civilization.
The florescensism concept has since further developed into the “Manifesto of Florescencism” and is co-authored by Lida and Milko Nestoroski. This artistic manifesto aims to confront a crisis by going beyond the national into the realm of natural earth and the environment.
The artist Milko Nestoroski was also present at the launching of the exhibition Mr Nestoroski held an expose on his two dolls, “Muses of Reflection, Ambassadors of the Otherworld”.
According to Nestoroski, these two dolls express the privilege of aesthetics of water, as we require water for our bodies and water aesthetics for our spirit. We find that they match the theme of water security, being on the missions of the UN Security Council, of which Malta is now a member.
Incontestably, meeting the artist Lida Sherafatmand and admiring the works of her hands has been a tremendous delight. What is more, taking in the odour of her bouquet of flowers-her paintings takes away one’s breath.
