Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/584253
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 11 OCTOBER 2015 30 This Week Their vibrant palette THERE is a house in Senglea that I fell in love with a while ago and which I make it a point to pass by whenever I am in the area. Located in a quaint narrow street, just next to a small piazza that overlooks a gorgeous view of the sea, this house is unusual. Its windows, steps, house number are a burst of vibrant hues; purples, blues, oranges make this house stick out. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that this house belonged to artist Henriette Mallia, and so which I got to see from the inside. The bright palette con- tinues throughout the house – in its furniture, soft furnishing, ornaments and tiles – giving it a fun air, an artistic air. On the walls hang the work of its own- er, Henriette Mallia, as well as her father, Joseph Mallia. Both artists' paintings also comprise bold and bright colours, many abstract and many featuring the sea as their protagonist. I am meeting two artists, fa- ther and daughter, to talk about the upcoming exhibition and book launch, aptly named Two Generations of Maltese Artis- tic Families. Organised by APS Bank, the exhibition and liter- ary publication are the second edition in a three-year series documenting the works pro- duced by two fathers and their offspring, the other two being the late George Fenech and his son Gilbert. Like George and Gilbert, the surrounding natural environ- ment plays an important and visible role in their art. With the Fenechs it is softer pastels that portray the grassy areas and imposing rocks, whereas with the Mallias, the colours are brighter, the work more abstract, a reflection of the dif- ferent surroundings, this time, Senglea. The sea is a powerful pro- tagonist in Joseph's work, both in his landscapes as well as his abstract works. Portraits also form part of his portfolio, which is characterised by light and col- our, and precise draughtsman- ship, be it in his quick sketches, large oils or acrylic paintings. He brings out a folder of nu- merous little notebooks, some just bits of paper he has put to- gether and printed with his own handwriting to make them look like books. He flips through the pages and one after another, the sea is present: from glimpses of the contours of the waves, to luzzus on the water, to idyllic scenes of the beautiful blue sea, caressing the golden, cream- coloured Maltese stone. "I can't get rid of the sea, be it rough, quiet or calm" he half jokes. Indeed, Joseph "was always fascinated by the sea bed". He reminisces about how as a child he would find the sea so myste- rious, wondering what lay be- neath this vast blue water. "The sea is always at the back of my mind. It is something romantic for me," he adds. Joseph's words are echoed by his daughter who concedes that even when she goes abroad, she needs to see the sea at some point. "The sea environment is very important to both of us," Henriette com- ments. In Henriette's work – be it her paintings, furniture design and decoration or stage sets – her sensitive perception of nature is evident. Movement is a key feature in her work, be it from the sea, the sky or other natural elements. For both, their source of in- spiration is key to the work. "When you paint, you need to be inspired by something," comments Joseph, adding how a key word in his creative process is 'notation'. He explains this by saying that his art has to come from "depths from within". You cannot make a drawing of, say, another drawing. There must be emotion behind a good draw- ing. Both Joseph and Henriette The vibrant colours of the sea, Senglea's architecture and the strong presence of its natural environment play a key role in the work of father and daughter Joseph and Henriette Mallia. They tell VERONICA STIVALA why they cannot live without the sea Joseph and Henriette Mallia • Photo by Mario Micallef Paintings by Henriette Mallia Paintings by Joseph Mallia