Internationally recognised Maltese artist Nico Conti is presenting his first solo exhibition at the Malta Society of Arts in Valletta.
Reflections on Porcelain, which opens today at 7pm, is spread across five rooms of the MSA’s Art Galleries, with each space offering a distinct atmosphere, where porcelain shifts roles – at times comforting and familiar, at others obsessive or haunting.
“I always dreamed of having my first solo show in Malta,” Conti says.
“My work has been presented in different parts of the world, but for this show I wanted the people who shaped me into who I am today to be present. My family, my friends, my educators. In a way this show is both a thank you and a reflection, a way to share what I have been exploring with the people who matter most.”
Working almost exclusively in porcelain, Conti fuses traditional craft with cutting-edge 3D printing technology.
“Porcelain is what fascinates me most because it is both fragile and strong,” he explains.
“The show is not just about objects, it is about experiences. Porcelain can become lace, stone, memory or light”
“Before firing it can collapse under the slightest touch, but once fired it becomes resilient, translucent, and can last for thousands of years.”
The exhibition draws on themes of memory, reflection and transformation. In the opening room, for instance, Conti recalls his grandmother’s porcelain cabinet, placing delicate works behind fluted glass.
“I wanted to capture that sense of familiarity and distance at the same time. It also feels like a nod to memories fading, where the shapes are still there but they start to blur,” he says.
Visitors will encounter porcelain in unexpected ways, experiencing its glow, fragility and strength as light and shadow shift around it.
“Porcelain will probably surprise them,” Conti notes. “Many people only know it from plates or figurines, but here they will see it transformed. The show is not just about objects, it is about experiences. Porcelain can become lace, stone, memory or light.”
Reflections on Porcelain by Nico Conti opens today, September 25, at 7pm and runs until October 25 at the Malta Society of Arts, Palazzo de La Salle, Valletta. Opening hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 7pm, and Saturdays 9am to 1pm. Entrance is free. For more details about the exhibition, visit www.artsmalta.org or www.facebook.com/maltasocietyofarts.