Following the successes achieved here in Malta by our "adopted" Sicilian artist Salvatore Montanucci, specifically last May and June 2024 at an art gallery in Senglea, on the 6th October of the same year, Montanucci surprised us with a new trip to the distant continent of Africa and specifically to Nairobi, its capital, in Kenya. All this began after he was contacted and invited by the principal of the Delight Technical College - Fashion Tailoring & Design School, Saitoti Meitamei, to hold a masterclass on painting and fashion decorating for cloths and accessories. At the end of the workshops, students presented a fashion show of their own most successful works made during the course, and to close the evening event, was Salvatore Montanucci's "The Colours of the Soul" collection.
Meanwile, the press published full-page features covering both the event and the life of the Italian artist.
Salvatore Montanucci was born in 1965 in Aci Catena, in the province of Catania, in nearby Sicily. During the first introductory day of the course the artist dedicated a special space to Malta, speaking and recalling his long stays on the island and his first appearance there as an artist in 1992 with his first solo exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts in Valletta. He also spoke about the beauty of the archipelago, the important presence of the knights of St. John, and the remarkable developments the country has particularly seen in the last twenty years. Montanucci used a video projection of interesting images for a best representation of the island. Salvatore comments: "I want to remind you that Malta has adopted me as a foreign artist and has also offered me many opportunities as a painter, in addition to my teaching part-time at MCAST. It has also provided me with so much appreciation, respect and good friendships that I continue to cultivate until today. I cherish it all in my heart."
This year Montanucci, returned to Africa once more to the same fashion school in Nairobi, the Delight Technical College for a second masterclass in fashion painting and also with a new course in art of the colours used to be transferred onto natural fibre fabrics using a technique of permanently imprinting floral and foliage elements, thus pursuing a line of work that is not only fascinating but also environmentally sustainable. His stay in Kenya began on February 26th and ran until March 15th. Once again, the media announced his visit and covered his work during his stay in the country.
Montanucci's fashion show was held on Sunday 1st March, anticipating the dates of his masterclasses starting on March 10th. This helped the school to get more applications from those interested in attending his classes.
In these classes, participants had the opportunity to discover new techniques and insights into a distant yet deeply precious culture: Italian fashion.
The Sunday fashion show started in the afternoon with the first part held in the main hall of the school and a second one, immediately afterwards, outside on the large pedestrian area that runs through the centre of the main street, amidst passersbys and passing vehicles, thus attracting a great deal of attention.
Even this year as in 2024, Montanucci did not limit himself to his profession and successes, but he wanted to observe how in Kenya every little thing has great value and big things generally do not even exist for many of the children and the general population.
So, before Salvatore left Sicily, he wanted to involve his dear friend Beatrice Giammusso, who inspite of her age, 78 years, wanted to get closer to this reality and embrace it firsthand.
Beatrice, from Caltanissetta in Sicily, CEO of Antichi Ricordi Hotel accepted immediately Salvatore's proposal and offered her financial support towards a children's home in Nairobi.
Once in Nairobi, Salvatore and Beatrice accompanied by a representation of the Delight College, visited the "Serepta Children's Rescue Center" on the outskirts of the capital. Salvatore was already familiar with the children's home since he was there for the first time in October 2024, when he had seen the environment surrounding the Serepta Center, the way these children live there and the meals served based largely on rice and vegetables, no meat or fish but maybe just one or two eggs a week. Salvatore was so impressed that he promised to help the Serepta Children's Center, from time to time, by collecting money and with other kinds of help. Montanucci asked the Order of the Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem O.S.J. Grand Priory of Italy in Catania, under the protection of Prince Don Thorbjon Paternò Castello, for help. They accepted and joined with success in this charitable work.
When Salvatore and Beatrice arrived at the children's home, they found a warm welcome from the children, young people and all the staff, starting from the director, "mother" Sarah Njeri Njogu. The children and young men performed songs and dances as only Africans can do, in a joyful spirit.
Montanucci likes to say : "These esperiences are nuggets of emotion and reflect on the differences in social life that exist between two different worlds and cultures. For this reason, I believe these people should be helped as much as possible thus avoiding the dissatisfaction that afflicts humanity and often causes wars."