Authors: Sandro Debono, Giovanni Granzotto,Riccardo LicataEdition: Verso L'Arte Edizioni . 2011Extent: 143 pp
In summer 2011, Heritage Malta held an exhibition of works by Riccardo Licata first at the National Museum of Archaeology and then at the National Museum of Fine Arts.As part of the celebrations, a commemorative book was published and this is a review of it.I remember I was invited to go and interview the Master. He was a very old man, the essence of humility and patience, who, in those few minutes sought to impart to me some of his age-old wisdom.The book goes one better as not only does it have details about the artist's life and works but also many of his profound insights into art and life.Riccardo Licata was born in Turin in 1929. He spent his childhood in Paris and then moved to Rome during the war years. Later he lived in Venice. He now lives and works in Paris and Venice.The dates and locations of his long and artistic life all speak of a man from the north of Italy. However, in recent years, he has moved towards the south, thus rediscovering his roots. His grandfather, as witnessed by his surname, came from a noble family from Licata, a town on the south Sicilian coast, between Selinunte and Agrigento.He thus found himself uncontrollably driven to explore the routes, expanses, tracks and paths of the classical and Mediterranean culture, which had so much mixed and even become confused with the origins of his family's history, affecting up to his own personal history, culture and life choices.Licata's works hint at influences assimilated on his travels to Finland and the Orient. Rhunic, Phoenician, Greek and Arabic writings can also be deciphered as a source of inspiration.In particular, as senior curator Sandro Debono writes, of particular note to the local Maltese audience are Licata's mosaics and kilms (tapestries), two media rarely explored by Maltese artists.For Licata, the fabric becomes a woollen wall where the musicality of his harmonics is depicted. His approach to the medium is closer to mosaic, the technicalities of the weave recall colour selection where colour threads in silk, wool, cotton and acrylic are dyed on the spot.Licata's mosaics also represent an uncommon medium, historic in origins and reminiscent of a cultural legacy that once unified the Mediterranean world.An additional welcome contribution is Licata's homage to Maltese filigree specifically produced for the exhibition held in Malta. This traditional craft, prevalently producing mementoes for visiting tourists to the islands, is now also part of Licata's media repertoire.A welcome addendum to the book is a chapter by Dr Carmel Cassar on the importance of Licata, the Sicilian town, in the history of the relations between Malta and Sicily.Before the arrival of the Knights in 1530, Malta depended heavily on Sicily, given that Malta was nothing more than an auxiliary base, whose value depended on keeping it out of the hands of the enemy.Licata, the town nearest to Malta, became the source of grain needed by Malta which did not have enough wheat to pay its small population. Malta imported most of its grain from Sciacca, Girgenti (today Agrigento), Terranova (now Gela), and Licata, with the latter considered the granary of Malta.Wine from Sicily was another welcome import in Malta while on the other hand, Malta exported cotton and beasts of burden.The frequent incursions by Turks and the terror of being taken into slavery resulted in many Maltese finding refuge in Licata, so much so that at one point a new quarter came to be called Borgo dei Maltesi. As a result, there are even now many surnames that have clearly originated in Malta. 
Noel Grima