Salesians choose Favotto to trace the beautiful

The Salesians of Don Bosco, who dedicate their energies to young people, hold various cultural activities throughout the year to raise funds to sustain their mission.

Their latest initiative is an exhibition of painting by famous Italian artist Sergio Favotto. Together In Search Of The Beautiful, as the exhibition is themed, will be mounted at the Hilton Malta between July 2 and 11.

The artist, who spent his childhood in a poor and numerous family, produced his first paintings of a sacred nature in 1964. In the following years, while exhibiting pieces of his own and taking part in other exhibitions in Italy, he produced monumental works such as frescoes of a sacred nature for churches or private collections.

In 2004, he performed four fresco paintings for the lunettes under the cupola of Annigoni, in the basilica of Montecassino. Several of his frescoes adorn the monastery of St John the Evangelist at Lecce and a painting of the Crucifixion hangs over the altar of Cardinal Angelo Sodano's private chapel.

Mr Favotto produced a number of publications for Fratelli Fabbri Editori apart from the splendid volume on St Benedict, his life and miracles.

The artist's activity has been greatly influenced, in the sacred sense, by his deep study of the Rinascimento. He captures the ancient technique of the fresco and encausto paintings. Besides his painting activities, he is also a much sought-after lecturer and will, in fact, be giving a short intensive course on frescoes at the Wistin Camilleri Gozo Centre for Art and Crafts between July 5 and 9.