Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1545385
My essentials BOB CARDONA 71, semi retired retail design consultant I was born in Malta and emigrated to the UK with my family in 1962 at the age of seven. After graduating from Portsmouth College of Art in 1976, I embarked on a career in point-of-purchase display and later interior design. Over the years, I worked on projects for a range of high-profile international brands, including Caterpillar, BOSS, Seiko, Sega Games and Mobil Oil, helping to develop innovative retail environments and consumer experiences. I went on to establish my own design agency, which I successfully ran for 35 years. Following early retirement in 2016, I returned to painting, rekindling a passion that had first led me to art college. Today, my work is constantly changing and incredibly varied 1. Book 2.TV 3. TV 4. Music 5. Place MY all-time favourite is Da- vid Bowie. His influence on pop culture feels timeless and deeply personal to me, almost like a soundtrack running through different stages of life. His constant reinvention, fearless creativ- ity, and genre-defying music reshaped what it means to be an artist. From Ziggy Star- dust to Blackstar, he blurred boundaries between music, fashion, and identity. Bowie didn't just shape culture—he expanded it, giving permis- sion to be different, experi- mental, and unapologetically individual in every aspect of expression. THERE are many places that I have visited over the last few decades, among the most memorable being, the Maldives, Hong Kong, Sau- di Arabia and New York. However, one place that I felt most 'at home' was Ma- drid. For reasons beyond me, I just fell in love with its vitality, passion, history and undercurrent of man- ic energy. Maybe because 'Cardona' is of Spanish or- igin, it must be in my DNA? THE Midnight Library by Matt Haig is both engaging and deeply reflective. The story resonated with me be- cause it explores the univer- sal question of 'what if?'. THE roads not taken and the lives we might have lived. Through Nora Seed's journey, Haig reminds us that perfection is an illusion and that meaning is often found in accepting our own imperfect path. Thoughtful, moving and ultimately up- lifting, it left me reflecting on my own choices long af- ter I finished reading it. KIRK Jones' I Swear is a mov- ing and often heartfelt bio- graphical drama about John Davidson, a Scottish man living with severe Tourette's syndrome. I found it both powerful and very uncom- fortable at times, as it balanc- es humour with the raw real- ity of misunderstanding and stigma. Robert Aramayo's performance is outstand- ing, anchoring the emotional weight of the story. Ultimate- ly, it's a film about resilience, dignity, and learning appreci- ate none of us are perfect, it had me in floods! I guess Instagram has influ- enced my art by reshaping how I compose, share, and respond to visual culture, encouraging immediacy, ex- perimentation, and constant dialogue with viewers. I view so many different artists work, some great some aw- ful and some just 'out there' but like for many of us, social media is both a blessing and a curse. AS for TV, I love great dia- logue and acting. The best example of this, has to be Breaking Bad (I watched it three times now). It just has compelling characters, a great plot and genius dia- logue. A Vince Gilligan master- class. Probably the best TV drama ever. Compiled by Laura Calleja suggestions by email lcalleja@mediatoday.com 4 5 1 MaltaToday is supported by Arts Council Malta 4 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 14 JUNE 2026 ALMANAC 3 2