Art4Sea inaugurated its first public artworks in Gozo, with artist Giacomo Rizzo presenting his work and the project to EU Culture Commissioner Glenn Micaleff.
Art4Sea made a stop on the Maltese island of Gozo to inaugurate its first artworks. The island welcomed the project for the second time, in a return journey that this year includes the inauguration of sculptures and murals across the three Mediterranean islands involved (besides Gozo, Alonissos in Greece and Ustica in Italy), as well as the official opening of the virtual exhibition in Vlora, Albania.
A voyage through the Mediterranean to share the idea of a renewed, harmonious, and mutually supportive relationship with the ocean — a relationship that, through art, is nourished by emotion, rooted in collective memory, and capable of translating often alarming scientific data into images, visions, and narratives that help us remember, feel, and act.
Between April and the first week of June, Gozo once again hosted four of the eight artists who had explored the island the previous year, listening to its ancient stories and observing its unique environmental features. Theic, Riccardo Buonafede, Matlakas, and Giacomo Rizzo returned to complete their artworks and integrate them into the island’s landscapes.
The return of Art4Sea to the island was marked by an important institutional moment: on June 3, Giacomo Rizzo represented the project in a live video call with European Commissioner for Culture Glenn Micaleff, who selected Art4Sea from among over 600 projects funded by the Culture strand of the Creative Europe programme. Micaleff expressed admiration for the artist’s underwater sculpture and for the project’s multidisciplinary, participatory approach, deeply rooted in local territories.
The official inauguration began on June 5 with the mural Two Waves by Matlakas, created at the Sir Arturo Mercieca Primary School in Victoria. The work, a circular mosaic made from recycled ceramics, juxtaposes the ocean’s pulsing vitality with the silent yet pervasive impact of industry — a visual reflection that leaves space for the hope of a more balanced and aware future.
The mural was inaugurated by the artist together with part of the Art4Sea team, in the presence of Claire Debono – Head of School, Victoria Middle School; Joe Muscat – CEO, Gozo Tourism Association; and Alexandra Camilleri from the EU International Affairs and Underwater Heritage Unit.
On the same day, two murals by Riccardo Buonafede and Theic were inaugurated on the walls of the Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS) in Qala.
Symbiosis by Riccardo Buonafede depicts a veiled female figure dancing with a Pelagia noctiluca, evoking an ancient harmony between humanity and the sea, where gesture becomes a silent language of communion.
Calypso by Theic immerses us in a more unsettling atmosphere: inspired by the myth of the namesake nymph, the artist contrasts a serene past with a future disrupted by climate change, inviting reflection on loss and transformation.
Alongside the physical works, Art4Sea virtual exhibition was presented in the digital corner set up at ITS, showcasing digital artworks dedicated to Gozo, accessible through a headset alongside those of Alonissos and Ustica.
Bread and Circuses by Anne Fehres transforms the pop aesthetic of cooking shows into a sharp satire on consumerism and environmental impact, exposing the illusion of superficial sustainability.
Pelagia by Sara Bonaventura is a poetic essay film interweaving mythology, geology, and marine biology, turning the Pelagia noctiluca jellyfish into a symbol of liquid memory and Mediterranean resilience.
I Have Been Here Before by Luke Conroy, an animated photomontage, combines photography and poetry to explore the geological and cultural layers of the sea, between memory, myth, and ecological crisis.
The Copernicus Pathways by Samuel Hernandez de Luca converts oceanographic data into AI-generated landscapes, offering an immersive experience between science and possible marine futures.
At the Qala inaugurations, in addition to artists Riccardo Buonafede and Theic, notable attendees included Simon Caruana – Senior Manager (Academia), ISDSM; Jesmond Borg – Senior Manager, Gozo Campus; and Michael Refalo – Head of School, Qala Primary School.
In the early afternoon, in a moving and visually striking event, the sculpture Trajectories by Giacomo Rizzo was submerged in the bay of Xwejni, 10 meters below the surface. Made of local limestone and eco-friendly cement, the piece is designed as a shelter for marine life and a symbol of Mediterranean memory. Resting on the seafloor, its golden yellow hue blends with the deep green of Posidonia oceanica, creating a submerged landscape that invites contemplation.
During the first week of June, Gozo also welcomed part of the Art4Sea team, including the entire DAN Europe team — responsible for the 2024 artist residency and event organization.
Massimo Casabianca supported the artists during production, while Manuela Tuccella and Fabio Figurella handled communication and logistics, along with Vania Sessa and Beau the dog — a cheerful, constant presence accompanying every moment of the island’s creative days.
Now, the sail of Art4Sea turns toward Alonissos, where by the end of June four new physical artworks and four digital creations will be unveiled — ready to leave a lasting trace between sea and memory, art and awareness.
