I had the great honor of holding my first solo exhibition in the biggest hall of the magnificent MCC (https://mcc.com.mt/about-us/), originally called the “Sacra Infermeria” of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, built by the Knights of Malta as a hospital for wounded warriors during the Crusades against the Infidels. Leaving aside the idle and sterile ethical debates of contemporary critics condemning holy wars, the building is so spectacular that it still leaves today’s observers astonished by such architectural mastery and foresight.

Once the arrangements, date, and duration of the exhibition were settled, I returned to the Marche region, bought a Kangoo large enough to hold my 100x150 cm canvases, loaded them all into the car, and set off for Malta. Upon arriving at Maltese customs, I had to explain to the kind and amused officer that the canvases in my car were painted by me, and that I wasn’t smuggling stolen works of art.

Installing my paintings in that enormous hall—where once, side by side, wounded crusaders lay tended by the best doctors of the time and by the Knights themselves—was a true honor for me.

The purity and simplicity of the globigerina limestone used to build the MCC created the perfect contrast to my paintings, highlighting their vivid colors and modern lines.

On the occasion of my first solo exhibition, I was also blessed with a precious gift. The words I had written in the invitation to share a part of myself were translated in Maltese by Oliver Friggieri. To me, this is a profoundly moving privilege: it feels as though my artistic journey was gently embraced and illuminated by one of the most beloved literary souls of the Mediterranean.