Artists take over Għargħur searchlight station for day-long performative work

A group of artists collaborating on a bid for the title of European Capital of Culture in 2031, will present a day-long programme of performative and participatory work at the old Searchlight Position – often referred to as the Għargħur Battery – at ‘Top of the World’, the promontory at Għargħur.

Taking place on 7 June, the programme will include workshops and readings, as well as a temporary library of non-European fiction.

Many of the works will be participatory, allowing the audience to immerse themselves in the artist’s works. As evening falls, sound and technology will also play a part, with film-screenings and interactive works.

The 25 artists have come together to create a collaborative and curatorial experiment, using the fictional island of ‘Farfara’ that appeared sporadically on 17th century maps of the Maltese archipelago.

Participating artists are  Mohamed Ali “Dali” Aguerbi, Amparo Alonso Sanz, Bobb Attard, Amanda Bartolo, Elise Billiard Pisani, Maria Borg, Joey Borg, Daniela Buhagiar, Josephine Burden, Florinda Camilleri, Redent Camilleri, Aidan Celeste, Yanika Ciantar, Katel Delia, Ryan Falzon, Alberto Favaro, John Grech, Marcia Grima, Bettina Hutschek, Tom Van Malderen, Caldon Merceica, Beatrice Portelli, Pierre Portelli, Margerita Pulè, Cyril Sancereau, Philip Taliana, Raphael Vella, Isaac Warrington, Karsten Xuereb, Manuela Zammit, Astrid Zammit Meli.

Designed as an artistic experimental platform, Farfara2031 aims to push the boundaries in thinking, practising and experiencing how collaboration and co-creation can be developed.

“‘Top of the World’ is a place that looks out to sea, and for several centuries was used to surveil the land, sea and shoreline beneath it,” a spokesperson for the artists said.

“The event explores the intangible nature of the island of Farfara; a place that has come to exist only when a group of people meet in its name, but which quickly melts away again as they disperse. Farfara will be something fluid, which we witness changing there and then, and which we influence but which also influences us.”

Top of the World takes place from 2pm-10pm on 7 June in Top of the World, just outside the small village of Għargħur in Malta. Thanks to the Salesians of Don Bosco for their support.