Mediterranean Dreams II by Kenneth Zammit Tabona, at The Xara Palace in Mdina, is a continuation of his last exhibition held last January at the Palm Court Lounge at The Phoenicia Malta.

Thirty-two delightful works are displayed within the courtyard of the hotel. The works on display are of the fouridentro type, a term coined by the late Fr Peter Serracino Inglott. Most of the works present a room with an open window overlooking a Maltese landscape or seascape. We’ve grown to love peeping into Zammit Tabona’s drawing rooms while he entertains us with their décor, namely antique vases (most times it’s a Chinese porcelain vase, something that the artist is fascinated by), console tables, fresh flowers and leaves in most vases and potted plants.

Fomm ir-Riħ

We are mesmerised by the billowing curtains since some of the windows are left purposely open. The sphere is another object which is omnipresent in Zammit Tabona’s works. It has become embedded in the artist’s subconsciousness and is a memento carried forward from his previous office job which was graced by an Emvin Cremona featuring this solid shape.

Feliċ, the artist’s pet cat, is another staple in these drawing rooms, which are devoid of people. Outside the windows there is either a garden, a landscape, a seascape or a combination of both. Features include wayside chapels or one of the De Redin watchtowers which are dispersed around the island. Floating high up in the skies of some of the works are the Montgolfiers which have also become ever present in Zammit Tabona’s work.

On the passing of Elizabeth

One of the works on display is a tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II titled On the passing of Elizabeth. The painting shows Feliċ looking outwards from what seems to be the Upper Barrakka Gardens due to the arch and the railing.

Our gaze is drawn out across the sea, leading to the land beyond where a sentinel watch tower flies the Maltese flag flies proudly. Soaring high in the sky is a Montgolfier which portrays the Queen’s royal cypher EIIR and two birds romantically entwined (perhaps the Queen and Prince Philip). The work is very minimalist compared to the other paintings, incorporating subdued colours with the exception of the red, yellow and blue used in the Montgolfier; however its meaning is very powerful, evoking the connection and love the Queen had for Malta as well as Zammit Tabona’s fondness for the royal family.

The Chinoiserie Mirror

The four nocturnal works on display have a powerful effect, especially Full moon over Filfla. The moonlight reflects on the sea and creates shadows inside the room. Zammit Tabona is a master watercolourist and this shows both in the effect of the night sky and also in the attention to detail of the Chinese porcelain lamp.

St Paul’s Island portrays a seascape within a seascape, where Zammit Tabona decorates a wall with a framed seascape, next to an open window, overlooking St Paul’s Islands. Unlike in the January exhibition titled Mediterranean Dreams I, this time round the palette seems to be darker with the use of red, dark pinks and purples dominating some of the works such as Mediterranean garden with Feliċ and Chequered Balloon.

The works on display are of the fouridentro type, a term coined by the late Fr Peter Serracino Inglott

The love for Chinese decorative arts, as well as Zammit Tabona’s attention to detail can also be clearly seen in The Chinoiserie Mirror. Both the interior and the exterior of this work are particularly busy and the artist goes into a lot of detail to portray the mirror by using pen to further enhance its intricate highlights. The elegant way the leaves of the white lilies are painted once again show the artist’s mastery in his medium.

Fomm ir-Riħ shows part of two cushions resting on a red armchair. The cushions are intricately designed and depicted in very vibrant and rich colours, which tempt the viewer to reach out to touch and feel their plush material. The front cushion displays the top part of the Barbaro family coat of arms.

Zammit Tabona employs loose brushstrokes and also makes use of the white of the paper itself to execute the dreamy purple hues to depict the cliffs. Instead of the usual heavy draped curtain that tends to feature often in Zammit Tabona’s oeuvre, the quintessential Maltese ħasira is used rolled up just outside the window.

Roses at Fomm ir-Riħ

Tas-Salvatur evokes the tranquillity of Gozo. The open arch (on a setaħ) with a flowering pot on the edge overlooking the wayside chapel with the typical prickly pear, rubble wall and palm tree leading us to the Salvatur hillock and the crystal blue sea beyond. The landscape palette is mostly purple mixed with hues of green to help enhance this oasis.

The title piece, Mediterranean Dreams II, is an homage to the traditional Maltese festa. Feliċ is looking outwards while lying on a red armchair surrounded by porcelain on both sides. Separating the inside from the outside, Zammit Tabona makes use of floor tiles to create linear perspective. The three arches give a wider dimension onto the festivities outside. Through the fluttering flags and bright bandalori and the statues on the pedestals, the artist evokes the festa atmosphere and jubilation.

St Paul's Island

Zammit Tabona’s Mediterranean Dreams II is a veritable showcase of Malta. Let’s hope that most of what is depicted in these art works remains to be enjoyed by future generations.

Mediterranean Dream II, curated by Charlene Vella and hosted by The Xara Palace, Mdina, is on until December 22.