Melita

The fanzine wants to document the old Malta, the real one, the one I've known since I have memories, and wants to document the island through the eyes of those who have visited it every year since 1993 until today, experiencing its fast and constant change. I tried to convey what Malta was and still is in part before skyscrapers and consumerism completely took over the island. This project encloses curiosities and historical notions of such a small place that it is almost incredible to believe the amount of history it can hide. The fanzine is shot entirely on 35mm, with expired and unexpired rolls of film, to try to convey the sensations and reconstruct in the reader's imagination the life of the past in this beautiful place.

Shot with Canon Z135 on 35mm.

Designed in an almost uniform grid, Valletta’s streets fall steeply as you get closer to the extremity of the peninsula giving defenders the best position. The same grid let fresh air from the two harbours circulate easily in the narrow streets, keeping the city cool.

The original Maltese Balconies (gallarija) were first built in traditional open stone, however, in the 1670s the balconies were covered in wood. Their origins hark back to ancient times and to the 'muxrabija', a creation of the Arab world; literally, a peep-hole looking from the inside outwards, the 'muxrabija' was generally a wooden window frame that screened the window space completely. This was done to allow the Grand Master to look out of the balcony and spy on the people. The Grandmaster's Palace in Valletta is the 1st recorded covered balcony.

Decoration for San Dominic festa in Valletta.

Truth, faith, repentance, humility, justice, mercy, purity, endurance of persecutions: eight heavenly beatitudes, one for each point of the Maltese Cross, the cross with four arms that are cut at right angles, official decoration of the Order of Knights. Each point corresponded to a moral and religious commitment that each Knight was required to respect and to the eight languages spoken by the Knights. The symbolic Maltese Cross to be pinned near the heart is flanked by two others: the white one with a red field, the order's coat of arms, and the George Cross, which stands on the national flag, granted by King George VI to honor the heroism of the Maltese during World War II.

Pastizzerija.
A pastizz (plural pastizzi) is a traditional savoury pastry from Malta. Pastizzi usually have a filling either of ricotta (tal-ħaxu, pastizzi tal-irkotta, cheese cake) or curried peas (pastizzi tal-piżelli, pea cake). Pastizzi are a po — Pastizzerija. A pastizz (plural pastizzi) is a traditional savoury pastry from Malta. Pastizzi usually have a filling either of ricotta (tal-ħaxu, pastizzi tal-irkotta, cheese cake) or curried peas (pastizzi tal-piżelli, pea cake). Pastizzi are a popular and well-known traditional Maltese food.

Kinnie is a Maltese bittersweet carbonated soft drink brewed from bitter oranges and extracts of wormwood. It was first introduced in 1952 by the brewery Simonds Farsons Cisk, and continued to be produced by Farsons in Attard, Malta. Kinnie is brown in color and is drunk straight or mixed with alcohol.

365 is the number of churches and chapels scattered across the Maltese Islands. Malta was one of the first countries in the world to adopt Christianity, thus having a religious history full of heritage elements and numerous relics throughout the territory.

In a prelude to the annual lampuki season, which runs from mid-August to the end of the year, free palm fronds have once more been distributed to fishermen by the Fisheries Ministry. The palm fronds are used by fishermen to build their kannizzati, large makeshift rafts which are pulled out to sea by fishing boats. The lampuki – known variously in English as dorado, mahi-mahi or dolphinfish – school underneath the kannizzati as they seek shade, and a mesh net is then used to catch them.

The eyes on the luzzu are probably linked to the Eye of Horus or Osiris, which was the Phoenicians' god of protection from evil. For the Phoenicians, the eye was a symbol of protection and good health, so the eyes were painted onto their boats to protect the fishermen from any harm while at sea.

Fisherman working his nets in Marsaxlokk.

Fisherman getting ready to leave the harbour.

Fisherman going to his Luzzu.
A luzzu (Maltese pronunciation: [lutt͡su], pl. luzzijiet) is a traditional fishing boat from the Maltese islands. This type of boat developed in the early 20th century, although it is very similar to much older tradition — Fisherman going to his Luzzu. A luzzu (Maltese pronunciation: [lutt͡su], pl. luzzijiet) is a traditional fishing boat from the Maltese islands. This type of boat developed in the early 20th century, although it is very similar to much older traditional Maltese boats such as the ferilla. They are usually painted in bright colors, while the bow has a pair of eyes. Early luzzijiet were mainly used as transport vessels, but after they were motorized they became popular as fishing boats.

Villa Guardamangia (Italian – 'look' and 'eat'), formerly known as Casa Medina and sometimes referred to as Casa Guardamangia, is a 16,791 square feet (1,559.9 m2) townhouse in Gwardamanġa, Pietà, Malta, which served as the residence of Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh (later Queen Elizabeth II), and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, between 1949 and 1951, while Philip was stationed in Malta as a naval officer. The building is scheduled as a Grade 2 monument by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority

* St. Julian’s is a seaside town in Malta. It’s known for beaches like Balluta Bay, a rocky stretch with a promenade and restaurants. Bars and nightclubs line the streets of Paceville, an area south of St. George’s Bay Beach. Spinola Bay has traditional fishing boats, plus Spinola Palace, a baroque mansion with a carved clock centrepiece on its facade. Portomaso Bay is home to a marina and luxury boutiques.

* The Orpheum Theatre is a building situated in Gżira, Malta. It was designed in 1932 by the Maltese architect Harold J. Borg (1908-1981), then still in his early twenties, to the design of Art Nouveau with Spanish features. The theatre was commissioned by Felix Gerada, a developer who lived between Malta and Detroit (hence the initials FG on the façade) on land he purchased from the Marquis Desain and was built to serve as a movie theatre. The carved relief is said to be the work of sculptor Alfredo Azzopardi, who had already worked on the Balluta buildings as well as on the Msida Parish church. The Orpheum is a Grade 1 scheduled building since 2001 thanks to the presence of a painting of Orpheus on the ceiling, by Raphael Bonnici Calì (1907-2002).

Manoel Island (Maltese: Il-Gżira Manoel), formerly known as Bishop's Island (Maltese: Il-Gżira tal-Isqof, Italian: Isola del Vescovo) or the Isolotto, is a small island that forms part of the municipality of Gżira in Marsamxett Harbour, Malta. It is named after the Portuguese Grand Master António Manoel de Vilhena, who built a fort on the island in the 1720s. Manoel Island currently houses a yacht yard and a yacht marina. The yacht marina has been under new management since 2011 and accommodates vessels up to 80 meters in length. It has a total of 350 berths. The yacht yard can accommodate yachts and catamarans of up to 50 meters in length and a displacement of 500 tons. The yard offers boat storage, berthing afloat, repairs, and complete refits.

Melita

Lisbon: Abandoned Beauty

Cement Flower