Għas-Sajda

With nets and hopes they sail at dawn,
To dance with waves till fish are drawn.
A humble craft, a village thrives,
Through sea’s embrace, they shape their lives.

This gouache on paper painting belongs to the expressionist maritime genre. The technique employs dynamic linear strokes with contrasting washes of muted and bright colours, creating a sense of motion and vitality. The textured and gestural quality evokes the labour and rhythm of fishing life. The stylisation of forms adds an emotive and almost narrative quality to the composition.