There’s something about seeing a piece of handmade art or craft in front on you, something that a digital image can’t give you, however good the photographer. There’s the true colour, form and texture, and the dynamic glint of the light as you gaze upon a tangible work of art, and the magic of wonder as you look at an individual piece and try to imagine crafting something so exquisite yourself, knowing you’d likely fail at the first hurdle. And that’s if you even had the idea in the first place.
There is currently a collection of some of Malta’s best and most unusual hand-crafted works in Malta’s Parliament Building – drawn from the island’s artisan output last year, and you are invited to visit and cast your vote for Malta Crafts Foundation’s Premju Ġieħ l-Artiġjanat Malti 2024 – People’s Choice Award by noon next Wednesday, July 9. The winners of each of seven categories will then be announced at an event on July 11.
On show, there are more than 40 works or sets of works by some of the islands’ most talented designers and makers, crafted from a multitude of materials, including silver and ceramics, leather and paper. They weave together fresh ideas with threads from Malta’s past – both happenings in history and the skills that the people here honed over centuries with talent and vision.
The ’Precious metal’ selection includes a striking reliquary; a delicious sheet of silver fabric hand-woven from precious metal on a frame loom and a delicate filigree galleon by Matthew Borg, a model of St Mary’s Ship, made from 925 silver using traditional Maltese filigree. Its prow curves like leaves, and silver shapes drawn from the past with a keen eye and steady hand dance like waves along its sides.
There’s wearable art too with statement jewellery and items ranging from a fascinating reinvention of the għonella, to a pair of suede shoes embellished with traditional Maltese Bobbin lace designs by Marika Camilleri and ’Arma Tura’, modern leatherwear for film or fantasy designed and made by Keith J. Caruana. This a woman’s vest was hand-crafted in vegetable tanned leather and embellished with a bee, a reminder of the importance of honey in our heritage.
Flowers and leaves blossom in the show, from floral butterflies ‘Friefet’ and a pomegranate amongst brass leaves, to those found ‘even in the most inhospitable places’ with The Papaver: a jewellery collection by emergent artisan Marisa Micallef featuring poppies made from polymer clay, rhinestone crystals, and real gold-plated brass. Poppies are known for their resilience and they are Marisa’s reminder that we all can be poppies and show our strengths in our darkest moments.
There’s also a large vine-inspired wine goblet stand with overtones of both Dionysis by John Grech, a statement piece for any Palazzo’s table, alongside a fun Wonderland tea party created with tiny glass beads given form by the Beadaholic group: strawberries, pastries and cups of tea and other temptations nestle amongst playing cards and fairytale mushrooms. Elsewhere in the collection you’ll also find pricky-pear inspired chocolate eggs designed to be showcased in a stylish innovative way
Malta’s musical heritage makes a appearance too in Evviva – Cheer, a bar sign created with created with paint and mother-of-pearl and gold on glass by John Pace which promises live music. The neighboruing work, for me, a a pièce de resistance, is a gorgeous playable ceramic violin by Jennifer Mallia adorned with 22-carat gold lustre that in its decorated glory seems to promise a tune of ecstatic beauty.
Another show-stopping ceramic piece is a mosaic ram with a glistening curved horn by Mary Portelli. Take a moment to look closely at its fleece where sensuous figures drawn from a tradition of fine art curve and turn in the wool. Other surprises include għonella with a difference, a small surfing god and a golden tooth!
The latter can be seen as Malta Crafts Foundation project that specifically supports the fusing of heritage crafts and contemporary design. Equally unexpected, a dark khaki handbag boasts a golden accent that reproduces an archeological find, a bone. The second work is a cubic chair – its woven seating shows the temperatures of Malta over the last 100 years yet looks as if they are inspired by colours of Malta so wherever you sit upon it you’ll dream of the sea!
If you can’t make trip to see the works for real, you can see enjoy the works and place your vote digitally before noon on Wednesday.
