Twenty original works by the late Maltese artist Emvin Cremona (1919-1987) are paid tribute in this year’s much anticipated Bank of Valletta annual art calendar.

The misplacing of these paintings was an ill-fated story in its own right. Following years of decay in a damp wall cabinet inside the Ta’ Pinu Basilica in Gozo, the discovery of these masterpieces generated sufficient interest for a full restoration of them to be commissioned.

The project was a learning experience from start to finish. It came to be known that the works, completed by Cremona between 1954 and 1962, were hung in the sanctuary until they were dispatched to Italy for mosaics to be produced. They were subsequently stored in a closet in the chapel and within a few years receded into nothing more than sadly neglected artifacts. These paintings were exposed to severe conditions and remained damp for a long time, resulting in substantial paint loss as the canvas gradually lost most of its elasticity.

Upon Bank of Valletta’s confirmation of its sponsorship, Ta’ Pinu Rector Fr Michael Galea entrusted the restoration project to the professional hands of restorer Godwin Cutajar from Fontana. In his unfaltering periodic updates, Mr Cutajar constantly outlined the state of conservation, the treatments applied to strengthen the painting structure and the careful and meticulous exercise to clean and redress the paint losses. Throughout the whole restoration process, treatments and materials used for conservation and restoration were kept compatible with the original painting constituent materials.

The preservation of Malta’s artistic and cultural heritage is one of the main objectives behind Bank of Valletta’s Community Programme. BOV acknowledges that this is not only an important project for the Ta’ Pinu Sanctuary, but also carries a significant impact on Gozo’s cultural legacy and the country’s artistic heritage. Emvin Cremona was one of Malta’s most respected artists and, as a pioneer of modern art in Malta, his artistic contribution to the embellishment of this sanctuary gains further significance.

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