As I celebrate my thirty third year on this little planet called earth I find myself at Fort Campbell on another sun filled afternoon waiting for the amazing painter Jeni Caruana for the Forgotten Landscapes Project.
It is the second production day for the Forgotten Landscapes project and I am excited at what art will be produced and what other sites can be explored in this vast military ruin.
Upon Jeni’s arrival, I was greeted with her large easel which has seen some wear. As we were discussing the best place to setup shop, her friend Dick Woolly arrived. I’ve asked someone to take some behind-the-scenes photographs and video of us as Kristina Quintano did in the first shoot.
After a great introduction we all decided to setup inside the nearby abandoned barrack. What made this interior unique was that the metal beams that used to hold a part of the ceiling up is gone leaving a sagging roof which is immanent to collapse.
The Unforgiving Roof
Photography by Mark Magro
Copyright 2016. Wanted Media. All Rights Reserved
The barrack was a mixture of limestone and concrete and the glass windows have long gone leaving only the rusty cages that prevented glass from shattering around from bomb blasts. The shadows cast a heavy long glow onto the floor littered with various garbage and oddly enough three metal cans organised in a circle. Maybe there was some ungodly ritual here?
The beauty of Jeni composing her work was a treat. A painters visual interpretation of a place lost in time. Using chalk on paper, the way she composed the work was something to behold. From lines and shadows to a visual is a fascinating procedure to follow and I relate to it as a filmmaker trying to compose a film.
At Work
Photography by Mark Magro
Copyright 2016. Wanted Media. All Rights Reserved
After the work was complete, we all decided to explore the ruin to see if another painting can be created. The sun was looming and I found myself in some sort of large room that I believed used to have housed an electrical generator. The limestone was black, either from diesel or painted as a form of protection. The ceiling was curved and high with he front showing imposing views of the sea and the back a strange array of bricked up windows and a ladder that led to some forbidden place.
The Electrical Chamber
Photography by Mark Magro
Copyright 2016. Wanted Media. All Rights Reserved
The ground had some very thick metal parts which must have housed some heavy duty equipment which only made me wonder what sounds this place used to make back in its heyday. As the lighting was limited we decided to continue our exploration.
We found our way to another structure on the northern part of the complex which looked like a air shelter. However upon entering we found ourselves amazed at the circular front and the metal housings which used to contain shells to shoot down enemy aircraft.
The gun was long gone but the ground bolts which used to house this enormous device remains. Graffiti now littler the walls, which must have almost been an automatic court-marshal for anyone doing that to the walls in its glory days is something sad but also beautiful. As we walked up the stairs I found myself overlooking the sea seeing the glorious statue on St. Paul Island.
We decided to do another sketch on this place but as we walked back to the car to obtain some more art material, Jeni was captured by an old rusted gate that allowed entrance into the complex. The way the metal was contorted and how it was in the background of some dark abandoned structures made it immediately striking for her to make a good composition.
As I began to take film and video of Jeni, Dick scavenged around his bag and took out a drone. It was an extreme surprise and he began to take some aerial footage of the location and of myself and Jeni working. The entire event truly made me happy.
As the twilight appeared over the Maltese sky, a job well done for all the team on this event.
A Job Well Done
Photography by Mark Magro
Copyright 2016. Wanted Media. All Rights Reserved
Mark M.
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