Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1543022
8 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 4 FEBRUARY 2026 CULTURE Reflections of Tranquillity: New works by Richard Saliba at The Phoenicia Malta REFLECTIONS of Tranquilli- ty, a compelling solo exhibition of recent works by distinguished Maltese artist Richard Saliba (b. 1943), is now open at Palm Court Lounge, The Phoenicia Malta, for the entire month of February. The exhibition offers audiences an in- timate encounter with the serene beauty and meditative spirit of Saliba's landscape art. Curated by Charlene Vella, Re- flections of Tranquillity show- cases a selection of oil paintings that exemplify Saliba's enduring commitment to capturing the subtle harmonies of natural light, atmospheric space, and the Mal- tese countryside. With a career spanning more than five decades, Saliba has become one of Malta's foremost interpreters of land- scape, celebrated for his luminous palette and evocative sense of place. Born in Malta in 1943, Richard Saliba trained at the Government School of Art under the guidance of Esprit Barthet, Vincent Apap and George Borg before further- ing his studies in Italy at the Acca- demia di Belle Arti in Perugia and the Istituto Statale d'Arte in Urbi- no. Throughout his prolific ca- reer, his work has been repeatedly exhibited in Malta and abroad, and can be found in prominent public and private collections, including Malta's national collec- tion and the Cathedral Museum in Mdina. In Reflections of Tranquillity, Saliba's landscapes invite view- ers into quiet vistas suffused with light and colour. His compositions often situate the viewer at the edge of expansive fields or gently rolling terrain, where rich hues of ochre, olive and azure converge in rhythmic brushwork that con- veys both calm and quiet intensi- ty. The works on display balance representation and abstraction, embodying a contemplative sen- sibility that encourages sustained engagement. As such, the exhi- bition promises to resonate with both seasoned collectors and new audiences drawn to contempla- tive contemporary painting. "Tranquillity for me is not mere- ly the absence of motion but a presence of depth," says Saliba. "Each landscape holds its own breath." These paintings extend beyond mere depiction; they be- come reflective spaces where in- dividual memory and sensation coalesce. This exhibition under- scores Saliba's ability to transform the familiar terrain of the Maltese islands into evocative fields of col- our and light that feel universal in their emotional reach. Reflections of Tranquility is open to the public at Palm Court Lounge, The Phoenicia Mal- ta, from 1 February to 1 March 2026, with an opening reception on 6 February at 7 pm. Mtahleb 2, 80cm x 60cm Oil on Canva Gozo Landscape 8m 80cm x 70cm Oil on Board Wardija, 60cm x 50cm Oil on Canvas