My essentials: Johanna Barthet’s cultural picks

About me

I am a Malta based artist mainly focused on figurative expressionist paintings. I enjoy anything that raises my curiosity and contributes to my zest for life especially the visual and psychological. Passionate and often impulsive, I am trying to focus more inwardly than outside myself the older I get, translating these investigations to form part of my artistic language and journey.

Book

Recently I am thrilled to say that I am managing to get back into reading books rather than my phone. At the moment I am intrigued by the book I am reading It Didn’t Start With You by Mark Wolynn, which delves into the fascinating subject of generational and unresolved traumas handed down from our ancestors. It makes me even more aware that everything is connected and how we know so little of what the big picture is made up of!

Film

I love cinema, I could watch endless movies without tiring. A film that impressed me in the recent past is Io Capitano, which shows the dangerous and emotional toil of two teenage Senegalese boys following their dream of reaching Europe. It made me more aware of the hardships faced by many migrants. I particularly enjoyed the blend of realistic storytelling mixed with strong elements of magical realism.

Internet/TV

My favourite TV platform is Arte, which focuses on the arts and culture, documentaries and European and Indie films. Another go to is Steven Bartlett’s Diary of a CEO, a podcast which tackles so many diverse and interesting subjects, the problem is what to choose.

Music

I have very varied musical tastes. I think it depends on my mood. I can go from wanting to listen to classical music especially while I work or the cheesiest of oldies from childhood where I remember all the lyrics. One thing is for sure, music accompanies me throughout most of my day especially if I’m doing housework or cooking a meal, it’s the first thing I put on.

Places 

Art museums and galleries in cities. Anyone who doesn’t love art would hate being on holiday with me. I try to incorporate main art events happening in Europe with a holiday. In fact, my next plan is to revisit London to see two important shows this summer, Frida Kahlo and Tracey Emin at Tate Modern, both being women I so admire. Second to that, but just as important, have become month-long breaks in Sicily, where nature is a main protagonist, giving me the much-needed relief from the chaotic and fast paced life at home.