A new mural inspired by Malta’s past and present, critically reflecting on its identity, was painted by University of Malta students in the tunnel beneath the Regional Road connecting the Msida campus with the Tal-Qroqq Sports Complex. The mural was officially unveiled by the Rector, Prof. Alfred Vella, together with representatives from Arts Council Malta.
Over the preceding months, students reading for the Master in Teaching and Learning Art at UM attended lectures on various historical and cultural topics: archaeology and the Megalithic Temples of Malta (delivered by Prof. Nicholas C. Vella), real-life maritime adventures from the time of the Knights Hospitaller (by Prof. Emanuel Buttigieg), the genetics of the Maltese people (by Prof. Joseph Borg), and the relationship between diaspora and contemporary art in Malta and the US (by Prof. Thomas Scicluna from Florida International University).
The project, titled Interdisciplinary Murals, was led by Prof. Raphael Vella and Dr Edward Duca, with the support of Arts Council Malta through the Arts in Schools scheme. The students collaborated with Spanish street artist Pep Walls, who helped them engage critically with the academic content and translate it into visual form.
Following their research into a wide range of themes, the students embraced a ‘multispecies’ approach, linking Maltese identity to the land, sea, and endemic species. They also incorporated elements of Tberfil, the cherished traditional Maltese font, into the mural’s design.
The MTL Art students who participated in the project were Sherise Attard, Edera Muscat, Kristine Saliba Caruana, Peter Aquilina, Carlos Cutajar, Aden Cacciattolo, and Mikael Scicluna.
