Since its introduction to Malta in 1839, photography has become a vital medium for documenting people, customs and events. Arriving in Gozo somewhat later, it played a crucial role in capturing images of a way of life that has since vanished.
The fourth Pawlu Mizzi Memorial Lecture, taking place at Il-Ħaġar Museum on Saturday, November 15, at 11am, will explore how both Gozitan and non-Gozitan photographers used the camera to preserve the island’s cultural memory.
Pawlu Mizzi (1929-2019) was a Maltese patriot, Gozitan scholar, trailblazer in the modern interpretation of Gozo’s history, and pioneer in the publication of Maltese books. He was born in Victoria on October 28, 1929.
Mizzi’s long career spanned roles from teacher to scriptwriter and presenter of TV programmes on Gozo, eventually becoming managing director of Il-Ħajja. He also founded and served as general editor of Heritage, an encyclopaedia of Maltese heritage, culture and civilisation.
Mizzi, however, is perhaps best remembered for founding, in 1970, Klabb Kotba Maltin, the home of Maltese books, and later Midsea Books Ltd. Mizzi was awarded the Medal for Service to the Republic in 1992. He passed away on August 5, 2019.
The lecture will be delivered by Charles Paul Azzopardi, a physician and photo historian, whose research explores 19th- and early 20th-century photographic practices in Malta. He has contributed as curator and photographic cultural heritage consultant at the National Archives of Malta and the Richard Ellis Archive. His work has been published in over 40 monographs, establishing his reputation in photography and publishing.
He is also the founder of the Malta Image Preservation Archive (MIPA), a non-governmental organisation dedicated to preserving and digitising Maltese photographic cultural heritage, while actively lobbying for the creation of a museum of Maltese photographic history.
The fourth Pawlu Mizzi Memorial Lecture is being held in collaboration with Midsea Books Ltd. Admission is free but seat reservations are advised by sending an e-mail to events@heartofgozo.org.mt.