I read President Emeritus Dr Ugo Mifsud Bonnici's book Konvinzjoni u Esperjenza and took particular interest where reference was made to the commission and execution of the Independence monument as documented in his book. While appreciating Dr Mifsud Bonnici's appraisal of my work, I was at the same time astonished when he wrote on page 420: "Kelli nispjegalu xi xtaqna minghandu: figura ta' mara zaghzugha, qed tinhall mill-irbit, qed izzid il-fiducja fiha nnifisha, qed thares bi sfida lejn il-futur."

I took exception to those words because what he wrote gives the impression that the whole artistic idea, including the details, was those of Cabinet. In actual fact it was Chevalier P. Naudi, chairman of the Committee for the Celebration of the 25^th Anniversary of Independence, who had contacted me and asked me to prepare a scale model for a monument commemorating Independence.

In the competition, which was held before for that purpose and in which I did not participate, no indication was given as to what form this monument had to take. When no one was chosen, Chev. P. Naudi then commissioned me to prepare a scale model, and even then, he gave me no direction as to how the work had to be expressed. The whole artistic idea of the monument was mine and not as indicated in the book.

I contacted President Emeritus Dr Ugo Mifsud Bonnici for clarification and in a letter dated 16 June he affirmed that: "L-Izvilupp tal-idea huwa kollu kemm huwa ta' Ganni Bonnici. Huwa l-artist. Il-Ministru u l-Kabinett ma kellhom u ma ppretendew l-ebda meritu hlief li ghamlu ghazla tajba meta hadna d-decizjoni li naghzlu lill-iskultur Bonnici ghal dan l-inkarigu."

 

Gianni Bonnici

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