Maltapost wrote to the Valletta mayor yesterday complaining that its pillar boxes were being “defaced” by the works of celebrated Parisian street artist Christian Guémy.
The pillar boxes are now being repainted after Maltapost established that the mayor had never granted C215, the artist often referred to as France’s response to Banksy, permission to draw on postal facilities.
Is this Maltapost’s contribution to Valletta 2018?
“Had they bothered to research the works of Mr Guémy, they would have realised that in France he was honoured with his first solo exhibition of his famous post boxes,” mayor Alexiei Dingli said.
“I think it’s utterly ridiculous that Maltapost cannot see beyond its nose. Is this its contribution to Valletta 2018?”
The decision to paint over the artworks, he added, proved that Malta still had a lot to learn.
“The value given to art is not high. These are new art forms that we should embrace.”
When contacted, Maltapost was not in a position to react.
The Valletta 2018 Foundation said it appreciated and encouraged all forms of artistic expression, particularly that which succeeded in pushing boundaries and, in so doing, engaged people and elicited their different reactions. The same applied to contemporary art in public spaces.
“However, it is hoped there would be better coordination on such expression in relation to the use of spaces to support and complement one another’s efforts rather than contradict them,” a foundation spokeswoman said.
Having read for a Masters in historical architecture, Mr Guémy was last week in Malta holidaying with his daughter.
His tribute to Caravaggio in Valletta included the popular Boy with a Basket of Fruit and the Medusa. Mr Guémy has a soft spot for the Italian artist because he also used to portray ordinary people in his pieces.
“I practise art in full respect to the city and I don’t destroy anything or paint on walls without permission, especially the historical walls of Valletta,” the artist had told Times of Malta.
“It takes me days to prepare the stencils and I choose a small spot in the city that can be painted over, so in a way, it is reversible.”
And this is why Mr Guémy has chosen letterboxes to “give something back to the city but, at the same time, not leave a permanent mark that could change the city”.
“I can assure you that Valletta is a beautiful city and it should be enjoyed as it is.
“Vandalism is never on my mind and I do not create my pieces to provoke but to leave something for the people there to enjoy,” he said.
Meanwhile, in Kent, UK, the removal of a Banksy mural that appeared on the wall of an amusement arcade just over a month ago has caused upset.
Art lovers had descended on the town when the stencil-style artwork, which depicts an older woman staring at an empty plinth while wearing headphones with her hands clasped behind her back, appeared in September.