City Focus Malta

Citylives MALTA

Maltese artist James loves the laid-back lifestyle on his tiny island and wouldn’t live anywhere else

I was born on Malta and I am Maltese through and through, though with my surname I think there is a Scottish ancestor in there somewhere. I am very proud to be Maltese and I would not want to live anywhere else in the world. As an artist and as a person this is the ideal home for me.

The Mediterranean is central to who and what we are in Malta. It has brought us the influences that now form our reality and we are a very Mediterranean people in every way – in our food, our temperament and our relaxed outlook on life. Big city stress is an alien concept here.

There is also something very particular to being Maltese, a shared identity forged through a history where we have had to stand defiant against much bigger forces on so many occasions, whether it be the Ottomans or the Luftwaffe.

Many first-time visitors are surprised about how compact the island is, and that is one of the best things about Malta. It means that you can be in one city one minute and then another the next, you can be in a fine dining restaurant one moment and then in the sea the next. The sea is everywhere, and that inspires my life and my work. I love dinghy sailing and also surfing, and it is great being able to get out into the waves so easily. Walking is also an enjoyable way to explore the island, with plenty of undiscovered corners and dramatic locations to uncover.

Our capital of Valletta is also something very special. It has romantic old streets where you can lose yourself. These days Valletta is coming alive again with wine bars and young people moving back into the historic core of the island. Foreigners too are coming in to regenerate many of the old buildings (some of them fellow artists as our cultural scene continues to flourish) because it is becoming a much more attractive and fun place to live and spend time in.

In the past some people have knocked our food, but not any more, as we have plenty of fine places to eat. The Mediterranean cooking is excellent and our own swordfish and rabbit are especially good – I urge all visitors to try them. I could never leave Malta. I am pleased also to say that in my experience people who discover Malta always come back, and I think that says it all.” WWW.JAMESVELLACLARK.COM

Pages: