Those who miss the handpainted signs on the old buses (xarabanks) will be thrilled to know that the art is currently enjoying a resurgence. Ramona Depares speaks to Joseph Farrugia, one of the few remaining artists, ahead of his Għanafest workshops.

Tberfil – the beautiful, hand-painted lettering and design that used to be so popular on xarabanks and other large vehicles – is an art that is almost dying out. But not quite.

One veteran artist, Joseph Farrugia, is deadset on making sure that the technique survives, at least during his lifetime.

And by the looks of it, it seems as though he is succeeding as – once again this year – a set of specialised workshops will be held specifically for children during Għanafest, the folk and world music festival that takes place every year at the Argotti botanical gardens in Floriana.

And it’s not only the occasional festival-goer that finds himself piqued by the painstaking technique, either. Arts students are also showing an interest in the art, which leads to hope for a renewed lease of life for tberfil.

“I started doing this work over 50 years ago, I must have been a mere 14 years old. I remember visiting one of the artists of the day with my brother and feeling enchanted by it.

The end result...The end result...

“As soon as I got home I started experimenting on the back of an old chair. I must have spent months changing and re-changing that first design. From then on, I knew that this was the road for me,” Farrugia says.

Farrugia adds that the art was his full-time job through all those years, with the whole family subsisting on earnings from Farrugia’s art.

Recent works include the Valletta tourist train and a sign for a bar in Strait Street

“I was never greedy. The people who asked for my services weren’t rich and I knew that if I overdid it they would change their minds. As it was, word of mouth soon spread and I guess I must have done the vast majority of the xarabankijiet of the day.

“The drivers all knew me by name and I had to make sure that I didn’t give one a better deal than the other, because they would come and complain,” Farrugia reminisces with a smile.

Eighteen years spent living in Canada did nothing to reduce his love for tberfil. When Farrugia and his family eventually returned to Malta, the artist picked up where he left off.

He tells me that family names and mottos were among the most popular designs requested by truck and bus drivers, adding that sometimes he would sneak in something else too and – if the client liked it – there it would stay.

“I start out by putting some masking tape to contain the area I’m working on. Then I start the painting, by hand, using special brushes.

“The numbers three, eight and five are the most difficult to do, because of the curves. I start out with a white base and then add the colouring, and eventually the framing,” he says.

Special brushes are needed for the lettering.Special brushes are needed for the lettering.

Besides vehicles, Farrugia has worked on other media, even today. Among his recent works are the Valletta sight-seeing train and a shop sign for a bar in Strait Street.

One of his proudest moments, however, was painting an image of Santa Marija on the festive flags of the parish church of his hometown, Qrendi.

“The whole thing is about 24 feet high, so it was quite a job. But I love our feast,” he says with a smile.

Workshops at the festival

One of the goals of Għanafest is to ensure that traditional art forms are given a hands-on presentation through various workshops held during the weekend.

This year, the programme includes workshops featuring musicians Ashwin Batish and Jali Diabate, who will be explaining various technical and artistic aspects of the sitar and the kora respectively.

Rura will be delivering presentations related to the Scottish bagpipes, which though well-known in Malta, still remain intriguing especially in improvising. They will also feature talks about the bodhran, a staple percussion instrument in Celtic lore and music. Għanafest will also feature a children’s  workshop as well as workshops related to various Maltese instruments.

June 12, 8.30pm: Presentation on African kora by Jali Diabate.
June 13, 8.30pm: Presentation on Indian sitar by Ashwin Batish.
June 14, 8.30pm: Presentation on Scottish bagpipes by Rura.
June 12, 13, 14, 8pm: Children’s workshops.

www.maltafolkmusicfestival.org

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