Of fables and fairies and travels afar

When Salvatore Montanucci set foot on Malta as a tourist way back in 1991, he became so enamoured of the country that he decided to stay. The fact that his very first art exhibition on the islands happened soon after at the Museum of Fine Arts and that he started teaching art students also helped intensify his footing within the islands.

This exhibition, Un Natale a Colore, includes a number of diverse works gleaned from the Sicilian's diverse inspirations. Many extend a concept much-loved by Mr Montanucci and a kind of trademark of his latest productions - sloping-roofed dwellings accumulated in a towering concept of houses clustering up a virtual hillside - the scenes are reminiscent of fairy tales, knights on horseback, elves and omens. These are fantasy-filled, a kind of unreal reckoning with reality, a recipe which works wonders with his tavole fiabesche, diptychs and triptychs that blend literary tales of the fantastic with illustrative painting and supporting sculpture to produce something truly unique and which unfortunately has not been included in this show.

"I like to portray the house as representing man and his life. Fairy tales remind adults of their childhood and lend them a smile. The bright-coloured houses in my paintings speak of simplicity and ingenuousness even while possibly veiling tragedy." Compared to some of his earlier architecturally detailed works, the paintings on show are the epitome of a light-hearted approach towards Yuletide. Some works stand out unmistakably, as does his terracotta village on a hill, an illuminated work that could be the stuff of fables just as likely as Jerusalem at night - a scene with religious undertones.

Settling in Malta has not impinged on Mr Montanucci's urge to travel and discover new horizons and from his most recent travels comes further insight. Drawing on the visual experiences of Middle Eastern locations or from his most recent visit along the ancient pilgrimage tour leading to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, he has adopted and merged new influences into his customary traits. Costumes from Portugal have led him to experiment with ceramic figures which still, however, steadfastly hold on to tried and tested concepts.

Then there is the Algerian influence. One of the most impressive paintings is of an old woman met during Mr Montanucci's travels there. Dressed in colourful traditional garb, her face weather-beaten and heavily lined, but with eyes that sparkle and twinkle, she looks out of the picture benignly. Mr Montanucci speaks of her as a good-humoured befana. Of all the 25 works on show, she catches my attention wholeheartedly. While the girl on a swing suspended out of nowhere, and the Yuletide characters are visibly impinging on his fable-like landscapes in meaningful surrealism, there is a feeling that the artist is eager to move on to new pastures. The befana seems to herald novel things to come - a definite step in a future direction.

• Un Natale a Colore - exhibition of works by Salvatore Montanucci runs at Ta' Stringi, Victoria House 1A, Labour Avenue, Naxxar until January 6. Open: Tuesdays to Sundays from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.