I beg to differ here. I already did not agree with your earlier comment that Sciortino was a nobody. He was one of our best Maltese sculptors and his art, a product of the times he lived in just as Banksy is a product of this time.

Will you say the same of a sculpture by say, Canova or Bernini, that they are only good for a mantlepiece? Or is it because Sciortino is Maltese?

Yes, this particular piece ‘Speed’ was one of his very best creations. Granted, with art, it will always remain a subjective issue. Unfortunately, in Malta, discussing art will always degenerate into such useless squabbles as most times, such discussions tend to be hijacked by those who happen to appreciate anything else but good art.

But my point is this. Malta needs a proper museum of modern and contemporary art. Having a proper venue where to PROPERLY exhibit the already existent collection is needed. So many pieces remain stacked in dark rooms as space is lacking.

We do not need to go out there buying priceless Monets, Manets, Rembrandts and Rothkos to stock a museum. We have plenty of great Maltese art which merits exhibition and appreciation.

I blame the absence of such a proper institution on the lack of appreciation there exists in many of us. Luckily, there are many who do appreciate so all is not lost.

I for one, agreed with the acquisition of Sciortino’s ‘Speed’ – the pity is that there could have been instances like this in the recent past and no such initiative was taken.

I would pass up this piece too if I were a private collector, because Sciortino is a nobody in the art trade, and is unlikely to go up in value.

A government heritage agency is different. There are other factors at play. I’m not sure Sciortino is what Malta needs, but good art is beyond our budget, so if this is the best we can do, then so be it.

Just by way of comparison, Cheltenham council will spend
£ 1 million to keep Banksy’s Spy Booth. One million, my dears. Because Banksy is the present and immediate future of art. Sciortino, is – how shall I put it – something to put on the mantelpiece.

I’ve no doubt our People’s government will house the piece in some godawful ‘public space’, to be ‘enjoyed’ (‘jitgawda’, my darlings – such a madwar il-kenur word) by ‘il-poplu Malti’. Because these Philistines will never come to terms with the fact that art carries no passport.

It is only bad art that does. And we have plenty of it: from Guzé Whatever’s ode to minestra, to countless ‘gritty’ views of Mdina and mountains of ‘Mediterranean’ ceramic piece.

“Artistic hub”, Kenneth? Not bloody likely.

Yes where it can be spirited away as has happened with other works of art.

It still looks like a piece of slate waste to me, even the colour is spot on for slate and so are the layer lines or lines to represent speed in this case.

Only the horse’s legs are its saving grace and tell the viewer what it might represent.

Antonio Sciortino was a good sculptor, but I would pass up this piece if I was a buyer, just my opinion.

And everyone has an opinion.

I was referring to your slate comment.

Not very original as a sculpture. A copy rather.

Did he think people didn’t travel?

Not when you know where the real thing originated and are familiar with the original.