What would remain of our once-great civilization if humanity went extinct? Such Stuff as Worlds are Made On explores these themes at Spazju Kreattiv.
Continue readingSuch Stuff as Worlds are Made On
Sounds of War
The purpose of poetry extends far beyond what is oftentimes thought of as a chiefly romantic form of emotional expression. Embracing surprisingly macabre themes, war poetry has been used by various cultures for millennia as a tool to incite listeners to practice brutality.
Continue readingMalta in Minecraft: Junior College Block by Block
In 2020, many students were unable to go to school due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, what would happen if you could build your school at home? A group of proactive students at Junior College set themselves the ambitious task to recreate their massive campus block by block in Minecraft.
Continue readingDestructive, Creative, PUNK!
Music knows no barriers. How Finnish punk has become popular in Brazil and Japan might be the best proof for this point. Walking down the street in São Paulo, Brazil, Lasse Ullvén found that punk music from his native Finland is surprisingly popular in Brazil. Some punk bands even learn Finnish to emulate the right sounds. Ullvén, a punk rocker and now a doctoral student in Literary Tradition and Popular Culture at the Faculty of Arts of the University of Malta, decided to research the music that influences his life and others across the continent.
Continue readingPreserved in Plastic
Archives help preserve the past. Modern archives are dependent on technology. What happens when the technology used to store the past becomes obsolete? Will this information be lost forever at the next update? Words by David Mizzi.
Continue readingRevisiting Cultural Traditions With Open Eyes
Nicholas Gambin analyses Maltese cultural traditions that have stopped, remained, rebirthed, or changed in some way in today’s society.
Continue readingMaking Maltese Visible
It’s hard to imagine Maltese literature leaving a mark on the global stage. We might assume that there simply isn’t enough interest. But in a world that’s so increasingly globalised, is it fair to assume that a language that represents such a melting pot of identities has nothing to offer to the wider cultural market? The UK-based micro publisher Praspar Press, spearheaded by Kat Storace and Jen Calleja, is setting out to disprove that assumption.
Continue readingUncovering History
Commissioned over half a millennium ago, Antonello Gagini’s Madonna and Child has been silently standing tall in a Franciscan church in Rabat for the past five centuries. Little was known about the Renaissance sculpture, but a recent study is tracing the statue’s history. Caroline Curmi speaks to art historian Dr Charlene Vella and University of Malta student Jamie Farrugia about their findings.
Continue readingCreativity in a concrete jungle
Surrounded by ever-changing environments, it is crucial to take the time to pause and reflect. That’s exactly what Maltese-French artist Laura Besançon does in her exhibition Playful Futures — and she’s inviting you to play along. The exhibition attempts to refresh our perspectives on the changing contexts that are beyond our control.
Continue readingDarkness at Noon
Darkness at noon is an occurrence which violently alters established patterns of nature — a frightening moment. In literature and poetry, this motif has been abstracted and appears repeatedly throughout time.
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