A bull’s head in Seville.Name: Madeleine Gera
Occupation: Artist
Some travel philosophy…
I remember reading somewhere that French philosopher Blaise Pascal once remarked: “The sole cause of man’s unhappiness is that he does not know how to stay quietly in his room.”
If our lives are in some way determined by our search for happiness, then perhaps few things in life reveal as much about this quest as our travels.
Our travels perhaps provide an insight into what our lives might be like without everyday constraints. Although we are inundated with places to visit, we hear little about why we should visit a particular place, something that is left entirely to us to determine.
We are all different and our travel needs tell us a little about who we are and what makes us tick, which is why the right company is so important when travelling.
I found a supermarket in New York interesting, as I have never to this day seen so many brands of breakfast cereals lined up from floor to ceiling
I feel so welcome in…
Sicily, which I have visited a few times this year. On two occasions I took a group on a cityscape painting trip to southeast Sicily. This included Taormina, Ragusa, Scicli and Noto.
After a massive earthquake which destroyed Noto in 1693, it was rebuilt in the baroque style then at the height of its popularity.
Designed to give vistas of the surrounding countryside, the urban design was sensitively done and still seems to meet the needs of the inhabitants today.
San Nicolò cathedral is well worth a visit. Noto has some beautiful palaces, notably Palazzo Trigona and Palazzo Battagli, as well as a lively market.
We spent a morning painting in Noto and then had lunch in a quiet piazza, which was really lovely. The next day it was Ragusa, which we visited fairly early in the morning to avoid the heat.
I returned again in July, this time to Syracuse, Ortigia, for a mid-summer break. I could have happily stayed for longer.
I couldn’t wait to leave…
St Petersburg airport, where we had a problem with our visas. This was in 2004 and we were told by an official at the airport that because we had entered the country in Moscow, we also had to leave from Moscow… eight hours away.
Fortunately, another official arrived and allowed us to depart, warning us not to make the same mistake again. We were not held up for long but the thought of being stuck there filled me with dread.
I partied hardest in…
I don’t party. I am not really into dining either unless I’m eating salad, or salad with salad.
I would never return to…
Certain parts of Russia. I would go back to Moscow and St Petersburg but other parts of the country I saw were a bit grim.
An amusing anecdote…
While snorkelling at the solarium in Ortigia, I became aware of what seemed to be a baby crying. To my surprise, it was a fully grown ginger cat that was ‘swimming’ with its owner, very much under protest judging by the sound it was making.
The feline swimmer obviously wasn’t a novelty at the solarium as nobody batted an eyelid when one very wet cat scrambled ashore and scuttled off to his basket looking mightily miffed.
What followed was a grooming session consisting of a bottle of mineral water being poured over the cat from a great height, a towel dry and some back combing.
I wish I could live in…
Rome is an Italian city I could happily live in. It is outstanding and works on many, many levels.
I adore visiting the Sistine Chapel, its ancient monuments and the wonderful Villa Borghese and surrounding park.
At the Solarium in Ortigia I became aware of what seemed to be a baby crying. To my surprise, it was a fully grown ginger cat that was ‘swimming’ with its owner
There are also innumerable places not usually visited by tourists, such as the underground site of Ospedale San Giovanni, where Marcus Aurelius spent his teenage years, or the noisy, salt-of-the-earth atmosphere of Testaccio.
I treasure the memory of…
Paris. It’s just impossible to do justice to the city in a few sentences.
Paris is a bottomless pit when it comes to the arts. Its museums are among the richest in the world, with works of art representing the best of every period, from the Romans down to conceptual art. I believe viewing art and sculpture is a Parisian leisure activity par excellence.
Its architecture is amazing, with additions to the cityscape focused on the French President’s grands projets – one of the more recent projects was to turn Paris into a model post-Kyoto metropolis of the 21st century.
I adored the food in…
I already mentioned that I am not much of a foodie, but I enjoyed the couscous, fresh fish and spices in Morocco. I holidayed there back in 2000, visiting Marrakesh, Casablanca and Agadir.
I return most often to…
Florence. I studied there and I return every year for work or study. I was there most recently in July when I attended a workshop on painting nudes.
The hardest part of travelling is…
Hanging around airports.
Travel has taught me to…
Be receptive, to approach a new place with humility and not to carry preconceived ideas of what is interesting.
I remember finding a supermarket in New York interesting, as I have never to this day seen so many brands of breakfast cereals lined up from floor to ceiling.
When we step out of our comfort zone, we experience different ways of doing things. However, since it may not always be feasible to hop from one continent to another, perhaps change can come from within.
I dream of one day visiting…
Vietnam and Cambodia. I have heard a lot about these countries and southeast Asia generally, and I would like to experience their cultures, which are very different from our own.
These places would surely take me out of my comfort zone.
I travel because…
I like to see paintings, particularly European collections, and experience new cultures.
We are here on earth for such a short time, so I want to see as much as I can.
Malta is like a tiny village in a global sense, so we need to leave from time to time.
Madeleine Gera’s exhibition, Malta and Other Travels, will be open to the public until Thursday at the Chamber of Commerce, Exchange Buildings, Valletta.
www.madeleingera.com