Throughout the summer months, temperatures soar, and where do we go to cool off? To the beach! At first glance, we are captivated by the turquoise waters lit by the sunlight. However, as the saying goes: all that glitters is not gold! And it’s true, since adjacent to the beach there will not only be sand and rocks … if we take a closer look, there is a high chance we’ll find bits and pieces of plastic.

This plastic is not just unpleasant to look at, given that it is unnatural to the beach habitat, but it is also dangerous to people and animals, and gets carried around and out to sea, leaving a trail of debris.

However, what if this plastic were picked up and gathered for proper disposal, or even better, turned into a symbolic piece of art? This is what the Island Guardians project aims to do.

This artistic piece, in theme with the project, will be available for viewing at Esplora in Kalkara from the end of September 2024 onwards. It is currently being created by local artist Joseph Barbara.

Most of the material Joseph will be using was collected during the two beach and seabed clean-up events carried out in conjunction with the NGO Zibel at St Paul’s Bay and Paradise Bay in July 2024.

Joseph has been working as a freelance artist since 1994. In the 1980s he began experimenting with used plastic water bottles and other scrap materials, creating works of art from discarded objects.

He has exhibited his work in multiple countries, including the UK, Germany, Italy, Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan and Austria, as well as numerous times in Malta, of course.

Joseph has won various awards, including first place in the Installations Section at the Malta International Art Biennale in 2001, 2003, and 2009. In 2006 he was awarded a qualifier’s prize in the International Poster Competition for the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai.

Among his other works, one can find the sculptures “Past, Present and Future” and “Homage to the Olympics” created in 2004 for the Zejtun Local Council. In 2007, he made a 6-metre Eco Christmas Tree in San Gwann with students from the local school, using over 6,000 plastic water bottles. In 2014, he created the monument “Catch the Drop” in Paola, using over 5,000 plastic water bottles, again with the help of schoolchildren. In 2021, he was commissioned to make an installation of Christ’s Face using over 4,200 plastic water bottles collected from villages around Gozo.

Last year the Central Bank of Malta sponsored his solo exhibition of 30 works of recycled-materials art.

We look forward to discovering Joseph’s new installation at Esplora soon!

Text by Maria Demanuele
Photo of collage by Joseph Barbara: 2023 Hottest Recorded Year