Another ‘hudu go fikom’ moment, I’m afraid – and I have absolutely no sympathy for these “shocked” artists
What shocks me is their gullible idiocy and the way they thought they were so cockily smart and edgy by throwing their weight behind Labour when all Labour was interested in was using them.
I don’t necessarily mean the specific individuals quoted in this piece in Times of Malta, but the fact remains that artists in general allowed the Labour Party to hijack their segment and place it on the Muscat bandwagon, and quite prominent numbers of painters and the like were vociferous in their criticism of the former government and in support of the Muscat caravan.
So they felt good and brave and Malta Taghna Lkoll and progressive and liberal for about six months and now they feel and look like fools. Not that they’d admit it.
If I were from Franco Debono’s sort of home environment, I’d have said ‘Issa hudu go fikhom’, but I really can’t be arsed to even give them the time of day anymore.
It really irritates me to have to live with the knowledge that when the stupid, the ill-informed, the opportunistic and the easily flattered outnumber the rest of us, we end up having to live with their dangerous, damaging choices.
These artists – not all of them, but there was quite a crowd back there in the election campaign, backing Progressive Joe – acted like they knew something I didn’t and spent huge chunks of the campaign dissing me all over their self-involved Facebook Timelines.
But they were too damned arrogant to work out that it was bound to be the other way round: that I knew something (quite a lot, actually) THEY didn’t.
I’ve been observing Maltese politics and politicians in narrow scrutiny for 25 years or so, as work and not for fun. What are the odds that my observations are going to be more accurate than those of people who only raise their heads long enough from their palettes to read Facebook and check out the latest fashion in political opinions, so that they can repeat them?
Pretty good, I’d say.
The sarcasm, insults and mockery I had and still have to put up with from this crowd of politically-challenged know-nothings is beyond belief. Yet imagine if I were to plunge right in and arrogantly hector them about art – because you know, EVERYBODY can have an opinion about anything, and it really doesn’t need to be informed.
They can go to hell, as far as I’m concerned. I’m deeply upset at the scrapping of the museum plans, but I couldn’t give a damn about their shock and dismay, because it’s all about their disappointment and not about their shame and embarrassment at having helped inflict Joseph Muscat and the Forty Thieves on us.
For heaven’s sake, you unbelievable idiots – it’s not as though most of you aren’t roughly my contemporaries and don’t remember Il-Guy – who’s parked himself in your museum building and refuses to budge – as cabinet minister to Mintoff and KMB. Or Sant.
Now all we need is a Tuesday column in The Times, by Kitten from Malta, telling us why he does not “resile from his decision to vote Labour”. If he doesn’t know what it means, he can ring Martin Scicluna, another man who’s still clutching at straws, and ask him what it means because he uses it repeatedly.
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http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20131112/local/Artists-in-shock-over-ditching-of-museum-move.494336#.UoI7AScueV4
Oh sweet, delicious irony, that playeth Kitten for the fool he is!
Kenneth wants to build the equivalent of the Guggenheim, in baroque of course, nothing modern, jaqq, instead of the Floriana car park.
His watercolours need so much light and space to brood.
He can brood over his stupidity for the next five years. Preferably en plein air.
What I find most offensive was Noel Grima’s piece on the Independent were he blames the non-move on the previous administration:
“The Heritage Malta officials seemed to blame the reversal of plans on the present administration but maybe they should also blame the past administration – first of all for not checking to see if all the ministry and MTA staff could fit in the old Admiralty House, then for not preparing to do the necessary refurbishment of the premises, and lastly for retaining the previous ministry in Merchants Street until the last day of the past legislature, in such a way that it was very easy for the new administration to refuse to move.”
Noel Grima writes op-eds disguised as news reports.
Sweet, so Mario Demarco should have seen it coming.
Pretty explicit to Muscat’s insipid nature.
What, no quote from Kenneth Zammit Tabona, when he works for that newspaper?
Maybe they’re planning to use Auberge d’Italie to manufacture and store carnival floats? Labour’s V18 chairman, Jason Micallef, doesn’t seem to care about much else.
Why are Malta’s “dellentanti” shocked? How can someone be your new friend, if their closest friend is your vicious enemy?
Can you upload the labour billboard featuring artist Ray Pitre? Was he consulted about this decision?
Perhaps they could insist with on getting a stall in Ordnance Street, molto pittoresco.
I know I shouldn’t. SUCKERS.
Kitten from Malta no longer writes for Times of Malta.
Shocked artists? I thought they knew everything which was why they hate the open air theatre built by a world renowned architect, because it clearly isn’t good enough for them.
Wasn’t that why they wanted Muscat in office? They knew so much better than everyone else on this matter. How is it that now they are shocked at a decision like this? Didn’t they know that they were only being egged on by a bunch of opportunistic amateurs with no clue?
You know it’s always good to test your opinion by checking who exactly shares it with you. If you are identifying with someone like Muscat, make sure you re-evaluate.
I am shocked that they didn’t realize something like this would happen.
Oh wait of course, the evil Gonzipn had to go right? What utter babies. The way these individuals spoke about politics you’d think they were stuck in panto. Well, the joke is on them now.
I don’t know why it is, but I find most Maltese artists so very, very annoying and, well, pointless.
They never have anything worthwhile to say, no political commentary on anything, everything seems to pass by unmarked by their art.
I’m not saying they’re untalented (they can paint pretty pictures), but they’re just so very, very annoying and self-centred.
It’s like the Jersey Shore or Barbie world of artists. They’re as insular as everything else around them, which is why they were taken in by Labour promises. I have the misfortune of knowing loads of these people (I was naive when I was aged 18-22) and they can bore the socks off you.
Grand statements like, “Ghax l-arti kollox”, then not one single critical brain cell between the lot of them.
Of course, I generalise, and beg forgiveness of any artists who might be able to change my opinion – I just don’t happen to know any right now.
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/magazinedetails/magazine/art/Goverment-responds-to-Fine-Arts-Museum-move-backlash-20131112
Love the distinction between the public and tourists.
Herrera and Vella can’t stand each other. At least, that’s what civil servants under their respective portfolios have been saying.
Il-Guy won’t budge unless he gets Heritage Malta.
Il-Guy won’t budge because Herrera will take over and move into Auberge d’Italie.
Totally agree with you, Daphne. No Labour government is going to move the National Museum of Fine Arts location. Especially considering it was originally inaugurated in Mintoff’s time.
However, I do hope that none of the many works of art documented will not be ‘lost’ in between moves. The collection includes works from Mattia Preti to small sketches by 19th century local artist Giuseppe Hyzler.
Some items are worth quite a few thousands and would make interesting future investments for many art collectors.
Can the Opposition ask for a list of all works, in the collection and reserves, for comparisons in a few years? These are our national treasures documenting Malta s history through art.
Ftit granet ilu kont ghaddej passigata filghaxija u rajt lill Kitten jippoppa bic-coff quddiem il-bieb tal-Auberge d`Italie nahseb beda jghid lill minn kellu hdejh (sintendi ragel) “Hawn daqt ikun f`idi ukoll.
Ma rridtx ipaxxeh nghidlu hu go fik, peress li l-cockfighter jista` jffittxni minhaba l-“copyright”.
From Valletta European City of Culture to City of Vulture(s)
Maybe Willie Mangion Mascoli can find them a garage. How’s that going, by the way?
I was told the minister of tourism had an interior designer work on his office as soon as he moved into the building. Guess someone had already decided he was not going to budge.
*Minister for Tourism. Though being who it is, it’s not even worth correcting.
I seriously hope that no works of art have been ‘moved’ to any ministry and/government office. It’s better to have them stored within the Fine Arts archive, than have them embellish a minister’s office or his/her home.
Still, such works deserve a more prominent place, as the current museum does not do them any justice.
“Artists”… ohh please
What can one expect when most cultural administrators are simply party girls and boys? This is not new, but under Labour things get much worse.
When you see (I’ll mention a few):
1) Jason Micallef (a total nobody and total ignoramus) chairing the V18 committee
2) Sigmund Mifsud (a semi-professional musician by international standards) being appointed chairman of the National Orchestra (as poor as it may be) and conductor of a Gozo theatre
3) a certain Manuel Spagnol (a quasi-illiterate and semi-professional musician from Birgu) who resigned from the National Orchestra to take on a head-teacher’s job at the Johann Strauss School of Music’s Marsa branch
4) Albert Marshall (a nobody who spent a couple of years doing some work for a communitarian radio in Australia) chairman of the Malta Arts Council.
….what else is there to say?
Do you agree with selling Malta’s citizenship?
5 quick questions: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8BFJVY9
Please complete and circulate.
“It really irritates me to have to live with the knowledge that when the stupid, the ill-informed, the opportunistic and the easily flattered outnumber the rest of us, we end up having to live with their dangerous, damaging choices.”
Nothing else sums up my feelings exactly.