Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/326223
26 THIS WEEK CULTURE | TV | FILM CINEMA LISTINGS FOOD | WHAT'S ON THIS WEEK When did your interest in historical sites as an artistic subject start? Since my early teens I had a special bond with nature and of- ten collected odd-looking twigs, broken pottery, rocks and other unusual-looking natural objects. These were treasures to me. I was raised in a mill house and perhaps that is where my interest in solid structures came from. My first collective exhibition, at 115, The Strand, Sliema, included a painting dealing with structures of Dwejra Bay… a sad contrast be- tween the grand overlying rock and man-made structures. Who would you say have been some of your most 'significant' tutors over the years, and in what way did they help you develop your 'Expressionist' style? At the age of 16 I attended The School of Art in Valletta and An- ton Calleja was my first tutor. Many years later I joined Anton's student group. There, Anton al- lowed us to paint in his studio, be ourselves and was a constant in- spiration. He was a generous and encouraging tutor. I also had some private tuition with Pawlu Grech who, just like myself, shared a love for nature. At his studio I was sur- rounded by some of the things I treasured and often worked on natural materials, including fos- sils. Using pencil and charcoal, I was taught various techniques. Pawlu is an unconventional teach- er and thanks to him I achieved a certain freedom of expression. Jason Lu taught me mainly figure and portrait. He did not only teach me the figurative form, but also a form of discipline; very typical of his teaching method. Since you work in different me- dia and genres (nudes as well as landscapes, for example) what were the most important things you felt you had to keep in mind while tackling your paintings of the fortifications in question? What are the key techniques and skills you employ when you tackle these kinds of paintings in particular? The knife as a tool and acrylic as a media suit me because I love texture and acrylic dries fast. I find that I am at best capturing an impression of an object almost on impulse which this form of me- dia permits. I dislike touching up my art later because the feeling of it would be lost as then I would rather neglect it. My aim was to focus mainly on the towers alone and ideally bring out their great structure. The sky, the sea and sur- rounding nature is an extension of the towers and the painting of St Mary's Battery in Comino is a good example. I also wanted to play with perspective since the towers are quite alike and this was inspired by some of my photography. What do you hope visitors will glean about the fortifications themselves through your paintings? Is there a particular kind of message you would like to impart about them and their cultural value with this exhibition? I hope that the message oozes out from each and every stroke on my canvas: "Do not let us be neglected, we were and still are very powerful symbols to this island." The exhibition is very much in keeping with the exhibition organ- isers Din L-Art Helwa's ideologies. Together we want to raise aware- ness so that as Maltese, we should treasure and safeguard our herit- age. Bulwarks of Fortitude will remain on display until June 14 VALLETTA 2018 Foundation, in collaboration with The Malta Mari- time Museum, Heritage Malta, will be hosting Qatt Ma Ninsa, a collec- tive memory project, gathering sto- ries, memories and recent history on June 15. Qatt Ma Ninsa invites the public to bring objects, photographs or memorabilia related to the sea and to share memories and stories asso- ciated with these objects. The event will include an exhibi- tion featuring 10 objects from with- in the national collection. These objects vary in value, size and era, but all have a very significant story to tell. A group of experts from various fields will be present on June 15 to record the objects brought in by the public, and the stories related to them, interviewing contributors, taking photographs and compiling information about them, with the help of volunteers. These stories will serve as the basis on which to develop music, dance or contemporary theatre performances as part of Valletta 2018's Cultural programme. The Valletta 2018 Foundation is organising the event in collabora- tion with Heritage Malta, specifi- cally the Malta Maritime Museum. Qatt Ma Ninsa will take place on Sunday, June 15 with the opening held on June 13 at the Malta Mari- time Museum, Birgu. THE TEN OBJECTS Qatt ma Ninsa will feature an ex- hibition of 10 objects taken from the National Collection, which have a strong connection to the sea, and a fascinating story to tell. Below are the descriptions of the objects that will be on display. The largest Roman Anchor ever found The largest lead anchor ever found in the Mediterranean Sea was brought to the surface in 1962 by the British Royal Air Force Sub-Aq- ua Club and the Royal Navy Boom Defense, with the collaboration of the Museums Department. It had lain for centuries some 300 metres off Qawra Point in sea around 40 metres deep. The anchor – which measures over 4 metres and weighs over 3 tonnes – could have been cut from a Roman ship during a storm. The Maltese Sailor and Charles Dickens When, in 1859, the Royal Charter was about to be shipwrecked off the Welsh coast, one of her crew, Ġużeppi Ruġġier from Birgu swam to shore with a rope; an act which saved almost forty lives. Ruġġier, known as Joe Rogers, was honoured as a hero and the event was even mentioned by Charles Dickens in The Uncommercial Traveller. The Dead Man's Penny In August of this year, the world will commemorate the outbreak of the First World War. Malta did not escape this war unscathed, and many Maltese men joined the Brit- ish Navy. In 1918, the HMS Louvain was torpedoed and sunk by the U- Boat UC22 in the Aegean Sea; this was to prove the largest single trag- edy for Malta during the war; only 10 men survived out of a crew of 151. The families of the dead men were sent an official recognition of their sacrifice in the form of a bronze medal known as the Dead Man's Penny. 1920s photo album and camera Among the thousands of photos preserved at the Malta Maritime Museum, several photo albums stand out from the others in the col- lection. Many of the photos within these albums would have been taken with a camera similar to the Kodak Folding Pocket B2 on display, and provide an intriguing look at how Malta has changed over the last cen- tury. A Dollshouse for Mertyl In the 1940s, an Englishman found himself far from his homeland work- ing at the Dockyards in Malta. In his spare time, he built a dollshouse to take back to his daughter Mertyl – all his colleagues lent a hand to build the miniature rooms and fur- niture. After the war, he brought the dollshouse back to England for his daughter, only to find that she had been killed in air raid during the Blitz. The dollshouse was cherished by Mertyl's cousin who eventually donated it to the Malta Maritime Museum. The Barber to the Royals Rosario Merola was an Italian vio- linist enlisted with the Royal Navy in the 1890s. He eventually settled in Malta, and with his charisma and talent soon became a popular and sought-after barber. He owned and managed four sumptuously equipped salons which were patron- ised by Maltese and English high so- ciety. He attended to various Royals who visited Malta and his haircuts were the most fashionable in town. A Maltese Boat for an Admiral Il-Pasalv was a boatman from Senglea whose dagħjsa was his pride and joy. When the HMS Sur- prise was stationed in Malta during the 1950s, her CnC Admiral was so taken by the dagħjsa that he decid- ed to enlist it as his official barge. Il-Pasalv and his dagħjsa travelled with the HMS Surprise, visiting Monaco, Barcelona, Venice and the French Riviera – in the lagoon at Venice, he even raced and outran a Venetian gondola. Il-Pasalv was so proud of his dagħjsa that he eventu- ally renamed her Surprise. Dockyard memories The Malta dockyards have been in existence for over 600 years. This helmet and punch clock are just two of the thousands of objects at the Malta Maritime Museum related to dockyard life during the twentieth century. Many of these stories and memories are still preserved within the Maltese community. Lampuki pie Malta's fishing industry was for centuries neglected by colonial rulers, yet the tradition continued despite adversities. Today Malta's fishing fleet is nowhere near the size of those of other Mediterranean countries, but things are chang- ing and the fleet is growing slowly. These weighing-scales were made specifically to weigh fish and was used by the wife of a fisherman to sell her husband's daily catch in villages around Malta. The enamel pie-dish is still used today to make a time-honoured favourite; Torta tal- Lampuki or Lampuki pie. Malta's evolving maritime history People come to Europe for dif- ferent reasons; some are escaping persecution or war, some are simply escaping poverty and seeking a bet- ter way of life. Migrants' boats often get into trouble at sea; over the past decade, servicemen in the Maritime Squadron of the AFM have assisted and saved thousands of people try- ing to reach Europe by boat across the Mediterranean. This migration is also part of our Maritime his- tory, and this piece of a migrant boat forms part of the collection at the Malta Maritime Museum. The Swift Class patrol boat (model) also on display was built at the Malta Mari- time Museum's Ship Model Making Laboratories; the P24 has provided Malta with a watchful eye over her territorial waters for decades. Qatt ma Ninsa shall run all day on June 15 between 09:00 and 17:00. The subsidised entrance fee is €2, however visitors can also log on val- letta2018.org or heritagemalta.org and take a quiz and obtain free en- trance to the museum for the day The importance of structures V18 on a quest to safeguard Malta's collective memory Painter Janet Grech speaks to TEODOR RELJIC about 'Bulwarks of Fortitude', her current exhibition of paintings on display at Wignacourt Tower, St Paul's Bay. Organised by heritage NGO Din L-Art Helwa, the exhibition commemorates Malta's fortresses, and seeks to highlight the importance of preserving them Janet Grech