Maltese artist's success in Shanghai expo contest

A poster, themed Harmony, by Maltese artist Joseph Barbara has qualified for international exposure in a poster competition organised in connection with World Expo 2010 Shanghai.

There were 2,200 entries from 33 countries, with just 10 coming from Europe, including the one from Malta, the rest all being Asian. Of them 90 posters were chosen.

Mr Barbara's work will be exhibited together with other prized works in Shanghai early next year and will also be included in a poster album of the competition.

In his one metre by 70cm acryllic poster, Mr Barbara creates a wishful reversal effect of the largest populations on the globe by simply applying colour signifying the first settlements on the continents and visualising an era where they are drawn back towards a centre of harmony, in order to regain peace, where everybody is united and equal.

The strands drawn from the edges towards the centre portray a magnetic pull; the artist uses them as meridians to emphasise the need of harmony on earth.

For many years now, Mr Barbara has been producing calendars depicting his pencil and acrylic drawings and some scenic photographs.

He endeavours to turn scrap material into works of art.