Elizabeth Grech, one of the pillars of Mana Chuma Teatro, participated with her poem “Blue Grotto” in a contemporary art installation created by a collective of Maltese artists as part of the “Urban Fabric” project at this year’s London Design Biennale.

The installation was hosted by the magnificent Somerset House in London from Thursday 1 to Sunday 25 June.

“Urban Fabric” re-contextualises the traditional Maltese village core by merging two elements – traditional city planning and the Phoenician-Maltese tradition of fabric production and dyeing. The installation uses wood, recycled stone and organic fabric that is sustainable and certified eco-friendly as its main components. This is in accordance with the artists’ ethos of recyclability and eco-consciousness. These components create a ‘street-like’ layout that enables the viewer to interact directly with the installation.
The project was conceived through a fusion of art, architecture and innovative design

The wider context in which the original concept and ideas are located is based on research that was carried out at the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta. Here, the team retraced the footsteps of the Phoenicians, experiencing the fine fabrics and artefacts of the time and using this experience as foundation.

The installation was accompanied by sound recordings of readings of texts by various Maltese poets on the themes of the project.
Artists: Matthew Joseph Casha, Trevor Borg, Luke Azzopardi, Alessia Deguara con Ramona Depares, Gilbert Micallef
Poets: Adrian Grima, Elizabeth Grech, Claudia Gauci, Leanne Ellul,

This project was funded by Arts Council Malta, Commissioner of the Malta Project for the London Design Biennale 2023.

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