The dying fresco technique is being given a new lease of life at St Theresa College, Mrieħel Secondary School, whose foyer has been transformed into a huge work of art.

Stephen Grima, a graphical communication teacher, who has completed several frescoes at the school in recent years, including a 10.5 by 7.5 metre mural, is working on a new piece illustrating the national anthem.

The new fresco was inspired by the recent discussion about the future of the Maltese language and national poet Dun Karm Psaila’s work, and the debate on whether the country’s flag should drop the George Cross.

From left: The process starts with a sketch, or bozzetto... which is then replicated on the wall (sinopia)... traced onto tracing paper (cartone)...

The fresco technique, which represents the glory of Italian art from the late 13th to the mid-16th century, had a short-lived, worldwide revival in the 1960s, Mr Grima noted.

He initially became interested in frescoes at the University of Malta in 2001, but it was not until 2007, when he received guidance from artist Vico Calabrò in Vicenza, Italy, that he started looking into experimenting with the technique in Malta.

Mr Grima has since completed several pieces at the school itself, and his fresco work can also be found in Italy and Poland.

Fresco is considered to be the most demanding technique, since the materials used in the process are very humble – sand, lime and pigment.

It requires extensive preparation prior to the actual painting, and the lime base used in the new piece, which measures 3.5 by 2.5 metres, needed to be prepared two years in advance by Mr Grima.

The actual plastering, sketching and painting should be completed within a week.

... and plastered with the lime mixture (intonaco).

The pattern is engraved into the lime mixture with the help of the traced sketch (spolvero).

[attach id=661787 size="large" align="left"]The artist can finally start the painting process.[/attach]

A section of the fresco shows the technique.

A 10.5 metre by 7.5 metre fresco at St Theresa College, Mrieħel Secondary School. Photos: Matthew Mirabelli