Vessels of the Unseen

by Olaug Vethal

• Vinyl Acrylics on canvas
• 111cm by 97cm stretched
• 115cm by 101cm framed
• c. 1995- 2005

In Vessels of the Unseen, Olaug Vethal depicts boats gathered beneath an expansive, turbulent sky. Their solid forms emerge through vivid oranges, greens and blues, while sweeping strokes of pink, violet and turquoise transform the atmosphere above them into a restless field of movement. Within Beyond the Visible, the vessel becomes more than a physical object.

Built to carry us from one place to another, it evokes ideas of passage, transition and journeys towards what lies beyond our immediate perception. Against Vethal’s shifting sky, the boats seem poised between stillness and departure.

The painting invites us to consider the visible vessel and the unseen journey: what is carried, what is left behind, and what may exist beyond the horizon.

This work is currently hung at Spazju A, Spazju Kreattiv, Valletta until 25th October 2026 as part of the exhibition ‘Beyond The Visible | The Metaphysical Worlds of Olaug Vethal, curated by Christine Xuereb and in collaboration with Christine X Art Gallery