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It is quite rare in Malta to have displays of the art of calligraphy. During the first part of this month, art lovers can experience the culture of calligraphy painting through a collection of works, presented by Michel d’Anastasio at St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity. Sponsored by the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts, Vodafone and St James Cavalier, the exhibition runs until 13 November 2005.
 ‘Kultura: sous influences’ pays homage to the Maltese Islands, its history, emigration and poetry. Apart from Dun Karm, it also celebrates the poet Ruzar Briffa, who also sang exile and dislocation, the sorrow of the Maltese, as well as the sensual beauty and the passion of living. The exhibition shows that Michel d’Anastasio has set his heart on transcribing the history of his Maltese ancestors through signs, colours, forms, and effects. At the dawn of this new century, he has given a new dimension to his creations and the ancient art of calligraphy through a touch of modernity.
With a Franco-Maltese background reflected in the title of your exhibition, do both cultural influences fuel your creativity and style of calligraphy equally?
First of all, I would like to say that I feel as much French as Maltese. That’s why the Franco-Maltese title of the exhibition came naturally to me. I have studied and learnt calligraphy in France. The teaching of calligraphy is very strict, but if you respect the rules of the writing you can create your own style. That’s what I did after ten years of studies. I can’t tell you what has been influencing my style exactly, but, concerning the canvases shown in St James Cavalier, the colours and materials are drawn mainly from Maltese inspiration (for example the blue of the sea, yellow of the stone, red like the blood of the Maltese people in history and the sand of Ramla Bay, and gold paper for the wealth of the churches).
What prompted you to get more in touch with your country of origin and your ancestors’ roots?
Since I was a child, my parents always told me that I was Maltese. Only when I first came to Malta, twelve years ago (I was 25), did I discover that it was true... Everything in Malta reminded me of my life with my parents: the food, the religion, the birds, the horses, and a special way of life. You cannot live in harmony if you don’t know who you are and where you come from, I guess, especially when you are an artist.
Through my art, I try to encourage people to come and discover this beautiful country, full of history, art, culture and kind people.
Were you taught the Maltese language as a child, despite being born and brought up in France or is your writing a result of research into Maltese ancient texts?
My parents speak the Maltese language, but, unfortunately, they never taught it to me! So, when I began working on my project, I came to Malta and bought books of Maltese poetry. Later, I met Catherine Camilleri, a brilliant foreign language student and member of “Poezija Plus”, who helped me with the translation of the texts. I was also helped by Ms Maria Daly, a Maltese teacher of French.
How would you describe the Art of Calligraphy and what are its origins?
Yes, the Chinese were the first to discover calligraphy, because they first discovered paper and ink. Kaligraphia, comes from kallos “beauty” and graphein “to write”. The primitive means of communication was the image (ideogram). There is a difference between writing and calligraphy. Calligraphy always looks very attractive and harmonious. My definition of calligraphy would be that it is a means of transmitting a message with harmony and elegance. To give an artistic value to my work, and most of all to share my sentiment as regards to my Maltese ancestors, I add colours and materials that are typically Maltese.
Did you receive formal training in this art form or is it something you have explored alone?
For three years I studied calligraphy on my own with the aide of calligraphy manuals for right-handed people, since there are no manuals for left-handed people, and I am a left- handed calligrapher! I needed feedback from qualified masters, and their judgment could only be based on the harmony of the sign and not on the method. Therefore, I was obliged to create my own method to be able to progress in my art.
After sixteen years of classical studies, workshops and various encounters, this led the way for me to discover new horizons and modern calligraphy. As to my teachers, I can mention Kitty Sabatier, Claude Mediavilla, Francois Boltana, Jean Larcher and Bernard Arin. The one I feel closest with is Kitty Sabatier because she helped me improve my signs and write with new tools such as the Cola Pen (A Coca Cola can transformed into a pen). Together, we also created and developed a technique for left-handed people.
Michel’s works are found on www.script-sign.com
Michel d’Anastasio was talking to Erika Brincat
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