Wednesday 12 December 2007

Giuseppe Mallia: Fichi d'India

This is hanging in the kitchen, by the fridge. The paint extends beyond the board onto the frame, reinforcing the immediacy of the picture and giving it an iconic authenticity, as though its meaning could not quite be contained. It's fields of colour, naturalistic in only the most rudimentary way, a quote from Giuseppe's childhood. It could almost be used to illustrate the letter C for Cactus in a primer.

3 comments:

Chancelucky said...

I take it that the painting is by the Giuseppe whom you live with.
It sort of looks like what Matisse would have done with a cactus if he had painted cacti. It's very soothing.

Charles Lambert said...

Yes, that's the one. Matisse is a point of reference for him, so he'll be delighted!

Anonymous said...

Ah! I loved that painting the minute I saw it in your lovely warm green-hued kitchen and now I am delighted that I can see it on my screen from England as well. Strangely though, I find myself suddenly craving carciofi and prosecco...