Artist and PN activist Joseph Vassallo passed away suddenly on Saturday night. The news has been met with an outpour of condolences on social media.

Vassallo, 43, is survived by his two children, including a three-month-old baby.

His older sister Lucienne, was one of the many who spoke about the shocking loss. Addressing him in a social media post, she said that “Since our childhood, we were always there to protect you.”

“I feel lost and confused today since I’ve never imagined our lives without you,” Lucienne wrote, saying that heaven gained another angel.

“We love you endlessly.”

Maltese artist Pawlu Mizzi described him as “the greatest local artist that only a few understood.”

Besides being a visual artist, Vassallo was a political activist, serving on Mosta’s PN committee.
PN’s deputy leader Alex Perici Calascione lamented the loss “that left everyone without words” and thanked him in the name of the party.

PN’s executive committee president Joseph Grech also spoke out about Vassallo, saying he was a unique, creative artist who embodied solid values.

“You gave a shoulder to many people, including me. When a thought came to me, I would say to myself, I’ll call Joe and see what he thinks,” Grech wrote.

“We spent long hours talking and discussing what we should do and how we should do it. The black hole you left behind can never be filled. The void that will be felt by all those who touched you throughout your life, can never be filled – you were such a great person,” Grech wrote.

RIP