Today marks the first anniversary from the sculptor’s passing. His daughter Alison Casha pays tribute to the man who shaped her life and her art.
You can never really know what is going on in the head of an artist, but having known my father for over 34 years and being one of his best friends, I can say that I was one of the people who knew him best.
My father’s art was a mixture of old school and contemporary art, figurative and abstract, realistic and imaginative, crossing over five decades of intricate sculptures, detailed paintings and continuous research.
Dare I say there was a huge contrast in his life between his love for art and his reserved character? Or maybe it was just that he was too modest for his immense talent. I wonder how many artists out there can juggle materials like stone, wood, marble, clay, plaster, ink, pencil and colours the way my father did during his 50-year-long career?
My father was true to his values; he was a very present family man despite his busy career path and he divided his time between teaching, private practice and his family.
His achievements were milestones for me and my family, which we now remember with fondness; the inauguration of Pope John Paul II’s Monument in Attard, his various art exhibitions and lastly, the launch of his dream project – his art book Fantasy & Reality, which I am honoured to have published for his 70th birthday in 2009. It was a publication that was well-received and that did honour to his career: “This publication should open the eyes of those who may not have given him the importance he so much deserves.” [Extracted from the foreword by Dr Paul M. Xuereb]
My only regret is that he did not live long enough to reap the rewards of his talent. The short and silent illness took him away at 71 years of age, far too young for an energetic artist who gave his contribution to art till the very end.
His unique creativity was also an inspiration to me; I will never thank him enough for last year’s collaboration, when he helped me create a bas-relief for my new home. His altruism was unbelievable, despite his draining health.
My dad fought till the very end for the introduction of modern art in Malta’s open spaces. Just a few days prior to his death he received the news that one of his modern sculptures had been chosen for the Gozo Public Art Project. I have now taken over this project and others in a bid to keep his name and its legacy alive.
Today Joseph Casha’s memory lives in my family and in his works. It’s been one long tough year without him; year that, without the support of those who in some way showed empathy for his loss, would have been even harder, and for this I thank them.