Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1292560
11 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 27 SEPTEMBER 2020 NATURE The rock thrush is one stunning bird that has the further allure of being rather scarce, though no doubt an annual visitor. Unlike the similarly named blue rock thrush (our national feathered friend), the rock thrush is not a year-round resident but a creature of passage that turns up during spring or autumn migrations. The male is unmistakable: from the back it does look rather like our merill, but that's as long as it doesn't flash its rust-orange tail, or turns to show the matching orange breast and belly. Females lack the bright colours. At this time of year, however, males too lose most of their finery and look more like their ladies. The rock thrush (M. ġanbublu – don't ask!) is a bird of open spaces, especially shrubby rocky areas. There were a few sightings in recent days, so a walk in our cliffy spots might be your lucky day. Check out BirdLife Malta's current #onthemove campaign to find out more about bird migration. Text: Victor Falzon Photo: Aaron Tanti 729. ROCK THRUSH Visit Friends of the Earth's website for more information about our work, as well as for information about how to join us. You can also support us by sending us a donation - www.foemalta.org/donate GREEN IDEA OF THE WEEK 622 Watch our video of Emanuela and Lucas from the Veg Box Malta, a young farmer she has inspired to farm organically, to understand the positive changes they want to see for the future of food and farming: http://foemalta.org/vegbox Eat local, eat seasonal At Friends of the Earth Malta, we support farmers and small community shops which aim to provide healthy local produce to local consumers. We believe it is important to connect local food producers and the local community, and to be aware of the importance of farming and producing good food, for a sustainable agricultural system and for people's health. Buying local and seasonal fruits and vegetables is good for the planet because it requires less transport and therefore less greenhouse gas emissions. It also supports Maltese farmers earn a fair price for their backbreaking work. It is thanks to community shops, that farmers can get the right money for their produce, which is a way to encourage farming. Malta is indeed relying mainly on foreign imports, which can become a problem in case of bad weather conditions or other global problems we have witnessed in recent months, which could affect the imports of vegetables. Therefore, it is also important to support young farmers to move into the sector, to work the land in a traditional and non-exploitive way. Some small community shops also work with farmers who practise organic agriculture, which is good for the planet and good for your health. Retrospective exhibition opens at Malta Society of Arts VISUAL art exhibition 'The Summing Up' by Richard Saliba opens this Friday 25 September 2020 at the Art Galleries of Palazzo de La Salle, the seat of Malta's oldest art institution – the Malta Society of Arts (MSA). The retrospective exhibition, curated by Roder- ick Camilleri, will showcase a collection of paint- ings and etchings covering the different periods, styles, subjects and mediums that have character- ised Saliba's career in the past 45 years and more. This will be the MSA's second exhibition since re-opening its doors to the public after months of closure because of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the Society will be taking all the necessary safety precautions including the use of masks and hand sanitisers, as well as applying social distancing measures and checking temperatures. Artist Richard Saliba is best known for his land- scape paintings, particularly his atmospheric Mal- tese landscapes characterised by the use of vibrant colours reminiscent of the Mediterranean, and featuring silhouetted churches or other structures in the background. Over the years, Saliba's work developed into more simplified landscapes, which led to his transition to abstract. For over a decade from the late 1990s to the early 2010s, the artist concentrated on this abstract work, greatly influ- enced by what was then known as the New York school, while in more recent years, he started cre- ating portraits and figure drawings and paintings. Curator Roderick Camilleri explains that the ex- hibition will attempt to give a glimpse of Saliba's different phases in his career, set in a way that creates a conversation between older and newer works, focussing on his signature use of colour, on the way he builds his compositions and on his stylisation. Each one of Palazzo de La Salle's four main gallery halls will feature Saliba's major types of works - Portraits, Landscapes, Abstracts and Figures – all of which have been selected from the artist's own collection. With a career spanning over 50 years and a large number of works under his belt, choosing which pieces went into this retrospective was not a straightforward task. However, as Saliba com- mented, the conversations between himself and Camilleri led to a selection which is the most ap- propriate for this particular exhibition which aims to showcase the artist's varied body of work. 'The Summing Up' by Richard Saliba is open from 25 September to 15 October 2020 at the Art Gal- leries of the Malta Society of Arts, Palazzo de La Salle, Valletta. Opening hours are from Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm, and Saturdays 10am to 1pm. Entrance is free, and subject to public health authorities' guidelines. For more information visit artsmalta.org/events