An Aureole of Niches is the theme of an exhibition by Luc Arden at the Banca Giuratale in Victoria being organised by the Gozo Cultural Council as part of Festa Niċeċ.

Mr Arden, who was born in Givet, in French Ardennes near Belgium, said that he first discussed with Gozo Cultural Coordinator Kevin Sciberras the idea of publishing a book of photos of Madonna niches in Gozo. He would have called it Gozitan Ave Maria because of his great devotion for Our Lady.

"It transpired that Mr Sciberras proposed to take pictures of niches for Festa Niċeċ. I gladly accepted this invitation with honour and enthusiasm, and naturally I chose to select Madonna niches. But as you need to work hard to merit paradise, I guess I needed to work hard to merit these pictures," he said.

Mr Arden discovered Gozo in May last year. "It was a shock! I've never felt it before, it was such a surprise. Gozo appeared to me like the ideal place I was searching for without having looked for it. I really felt at home - its people, its architecture, its history, its landscapes, its fresh and tasty vegetables, its very interesting wines, and above all the delicious ftira tal-ġbejniet!

"So I wanted to share my enthusiasm with the Gozitans, because I think I owe them a lot.

"What really surprised me in Festa Niċeċ is the mutual collaboration of all those involved, albeit their very different characters and each one's particular way of doing things. On my part, I'm bringing a little block of stone to this "edifice" as a thank you to all Gozitans," he concluded.

Mr Arden is hopeful of putting up another exhibition: Behind the window - Memories of Gozo. It would be a photographic testimony to the elderly Gozitans as the island's most precious heritage.