Painter changes style
Anyone familiar with Kenneth Zammit Tabona's work will visualise his stylised studio work full of nostalgic depictions. Pen and ink gouaches of townscapes, landscapes, festas, gardens and the lavish interiors of Malta's stately homes are mere backdrops...
Anyone familiar with Kenneth Zammit Tabona's work will visualise his stylised studio work full of nostalgic depictions.
Pen and ink gouaches of townscapes, landscapes, festas, gardens and the lavish interiors of Malta's stately homes are mere backdrops to the people he sees everyday.
Anyone, however, visiting his latest exhibition at Gallery G, in Lija, will instantly be struck by what appears to be a radical change in style - a dramatic shift to a more uninhibited approach to depicting Malta's character in pure watercolour landscape that takes centre stage.
"I am sure that the public will be pleasantly surprised by the novelty of these latest creations. The free, almost expressionist way in which I chose to interpret landscape in a riot of colours and shapes sometimes verges on the abstract," he explained.
Mr Zammit Tabona's latest watercolours, produced over the past year during open air painting sessions in various locations in Malta and Gozo, are the focus of his latest solo exhibition aptly entitled Al Fresco. The show comprises 50 works created during outdoor painting sessions.
"The motivation behind this shift in expression started just over a year ago when I was dragged kicking and screaming to my first experience of painting en plein air in Gozo by two friends to whom I shall remain forever grateful, John Martin Borg and Tonio Mallia.
"Back then, I was convinced I would hate it. The sirocco was dire and an attempt to work at Xlendi Bay ended up a sorry, soggy mess with the famous Gozo flies attacking the paint as if it were purest malt whisky! The seed, however, was sown and being a bit of a bull terrier, I decided not to give up and to go on with it," recalled the artist.
"Like the whisky, painting al fresco is an acquired taste and one that I am unable to now get out of my system!"
Bank of Valletta is supporting the exhibition, which opened on Saturday and closes on January 5. The sponsorship was presented by Michael Galea, BOV's head PR, communications and corporate branding.