Julie Apap (1948 – 16 March 2011) was a Maltese ceramicist based in

Msida Msida (, ) is a harbour town in the Eastern Region, Malta, Eastern Region of Malta with a population of 7,623 (2021). Location The town is located just west of Valletta on the northeast coast of Malta. The neighbouring towns of Msida are Ta' ...

. Active from the 1990s until her death in 2010, she exhibited in Malta, the U.S., Egypt, and Croatia.

Career

She studied ceramics in England and Malta and later taught the subject at a secondary school and at her own studio, The Pot Studio in Msida, Malta. The studio was a hub for a number of female Malta-based ceramicists during the 2000s. She taught privately at the studio for 20 years. Apap worked in both clay and porcelain. She created a range of ceramic work, including "functional ware," jewelry, and more sculptural pieces. Apap was known for her signature blue glaze, and kept its exact production secret. Her work was also characterized by its precision and its "inoffensive and playful" qualities. Her work was inspired by the Maltese landscape and by neolithic temples and other aspects of Maltese prehistory. Towards the end of her life, Apap left teaching due to heart problems; however, she continued to keep the studio open.

Personal life and death

Apap was married to Carmel Apap and had two children. In March 2011, Apap fell ill while on a bus ride with her father. She was taken to the hospital, where she died on March 16.

Exhibitions

Between 1990 and her death in 2010, Julie Apap participated in a variety of solo and group exhibitions both within Malta and internationally. In Malta, she exhibited her work at Mdina Cathedral Museum. the National Museum of Archaeology, and the Banca Giuratale in

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Queen Victoria (1819–1901), Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India * Victoria (state), a state of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, a provincial capital * Victoria, Seychelles, the capi ...

. Internationally, she showed her work in California, U.S. and Zagreb, Croatia. In 2000, she showed her work at the 5th

Cairo Biennale for International Ceramics Cairo ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world, and the Middle East. The Greater Cairo ...

(Egypt). In 2007 and 2009, her work was included in group exhibitions held jointly with Cypriot ceramicists. Some of Apap's work was posthumously exhibited at the inaugural Malta Ceramics Festival in 2011 in

Attard Attard () is a town in the Northern Region of Malta. Together with Balzan and Lija, it forms part of the " Three Villages" () and has been inhabited since the Classical Period. It has a population of 12,268 as of 2021. Attard's traditional ...

, alongside the work of ceramicists Joseph Casha and Neville Ferry, who also died in 2010.

Selected group exhibitions

* ''Group Exhibition with Jeni Caruana and Hedwig Hauck,'' Mdina Cathedral Museum,

Mdina Mdina ( ; ), also known by its Italian epithets ("Old City") and ("Notable City"), is a fortifications of Mdina, fortified city in the Western Region, Malta, Western Region of Malta which served as the island's former capital, from antiquity ...

, Malta (1993) * ''Seven Women-Seven Temples'',

National Museum of Archaeology, Malta The National Museum of Archaeology () is a Maltese archaeological museum located in Valletta, with artefacts from Maltese prehistory, Phoenician times and a notable numismatic collection. It is managed by Heritage Malta. History The Auberge ...

, Valleta, Malta (1999) * ''Collective Exhibition'',

California Institute of Integral Studies The California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) is a private graduate school (with limited undergraduate offerings) in San Francisco. Founded in 1968 as the California Institute of ''Asian'' Studies, the name was changed in 1980. CIIS has b ...

, California, U.S. (2000) * ''Hypogeum,'' National Museum of Archeology (2000) * ''Creation'', Gallery G,

Lija Lija () is a small village in the Eastern Region, Malta, Eastern Region of Malta. Together with Attard and Balzan, it forms part of Malta's "Three villages of Malta, Three Villages" (). Lija has a baroque parish church and seven other small cha ...

(2006) * ''Lilliput Ceramics — collective exhibition'', Zagreb, Croatia (2006) * Ministry for Tourism and Culture, Valletta (2007) * Casino Maltese,

Valletta Valletta ( ; , ) is the capital city of Malta and one of its 68 Local councils of Malta, council areas. Located between the Grand Harbour to the east and Marsamxett Harbour to the west, its population as of 2021 was 5,157. As Malta’s capital ...

; organized by

Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA) is a Maltese non-profit, non-governmental organisation, committed to preserving Malta and Gozo's architectural and rural heritage as well as ensuring a healthy quality of life. It lobbies for the better preservat ...

(FAA) (2009) *

Saint James Cavalier Saint James Cavalier () is a 16th-century cavalier in Valletta, Malta, which was built by the Order of St John. It overlooks St James' Bastion, a large obtuse-angled bastion forming part of the Valletta Land Front. St James was one of nine plan ...

, Valletta (2009) * ''Tribute'', Parish Centre, Papa Ġwanni Pawlu II, Attard (2011)

Solo exhibitions

* ''Working with the Earth'', Grand Hotel Mercure San Antonio, Bugibba (2003) * Banca Giuratale, Victoria, Gozo Region, Malta (2007)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Apap, Julie 1948 births 2011 deaths 20th-century ceramists 20th-century Maltese artists 20th-century Maltese women 20th-century women artists 21st-century ceramists 21st-century Maltese artists 21st-century Maltese women artists 21st-century women artists Maltese ceramicists Maltese women ceramists People from Msida