At a time when the face of Malta is changing at a faster pace than ever before, many are venting their anger, frustration and heartbreak on social media.

Others are instead doing something about it by documenting what’s left of our heritage and sharing their research in a bid to raise awareness about what risks being lost forever if no immediate action is taken.

Borg’s Victory Store, Sliema

One of these is Jean-Paul Borg, who has put his heart and soul into a project he named Kappa Vision. He regularly shares his photos of buildings, streetscapes, churches, Maltese houses and much more on a dedicated Facebook page.

The 41-year-old photographer accompanies his posts with historical or curious facts, thus elevating his page to much more than a catalogue of pretty sights on the islands.

“I like to add as much information as possible about what’s in the photo, whether it’s a building, a church, house, food or whatever. I want to create a source of information and education about all the interesting things we have in Malta, most of them right under our noses,” he says enthusiastically.

Chapel of St Michael, better known as ‘tas-Sanċir’, Rabat.

A project 10 years in the making

Borg, who shares his time between his family home in Gżira and his own place in Għajnsielem, was first drawn to photography and ‘capturing moments’ about 10 years ago.

He started off with portraits and creative editing, then he began to focus on the outdoors and “everything and anything” that has to do with Malta − from traditional Maltese luzzus, to typical Maltese houses with their colourful apertures, balconies and wrought iron gates, to loaves of Maltese bread.

It’s not just about simply shooting photos

Għajnsielem church

Kappa Vision has generated a lot of interest, and Borg’s posts inevitably elicit a sense of nostalgia among the Facebook page’s 18,000 followers.

“So far, the feedback has been very positive and much more than I was expecting when I first started four years ago. It is really what motivates me to keep going,” Borg reveals.

At the moment, photography and his Kappa Vision project are his full-time job.

“It’s a hobby/job thing, which is always what I wanted in my life with regard to working, to be honest,” he says, adding that he hates repetitive jobs. “I love creativity, photography and the arts in general; history, culture, heritage and my country, Malta. All these mixed into one is the perfect job for me!”

Comino’s former isolation hospital

He admits that the project is financially not rewarding but hopes that his hard work will pay off in future.

Our Lady of Lourdes church, Mġarr, Gozo

“It is certainly fun for me but it takes a lot of work, a lot of my time too. It’s not just about simply shooting photos. It’s much more than that. The travelling around, the quest for taking the best possible shots, the research from various sources to gather information, the write-ups...”

Borg aims to eventually have enough money and the right human resources to build a website to further develop his project. His dream is to publish a book in future, illustrated with his best shots.

Iconic buildings

Borg is here sharing photos of historical, important, local buildings he loves.

Xarolla Windmill, Żurrieq

“I chose a wide range of buildings to cover all the areas of Maltese architecture and heritage that I feel are of significant importance and also help define us as a country. They also have sociocultural and historical relevance for us,” Borg remarks.

Among the buildings he believes are in dire need of restoration are the former isolation hospital in Comino and the medieval chapel of St Michael, more popularly known as ‘tas-Sanċir’, in the limits of Rabat.

“These buildings are crying out for restoration if we want to save them for future generations.”

More of Borg’s work will be published in the coming weeks.

Casino Notabile, Rabat

Balluta Buildings, St Julian’s