My essentials: Liliya Cauchi’s cultural picks

About  

My name is Liliya Cauchi, a sculptor, educator, and researcher based in Gozo, Malta, originally from Bulgaria. As an artist, my practice centres on ceramics and glass, exploring silicates through processes of reuse, accumulation, and transformation, creating forms that shift between vessel, symbol, and landscape. My work draws on the Mediterranean, cultural identity, and nature as interconnected sources of material and conceptual inspiration.

Book

I recently read Three Poetic Treatises by Nāgārjuna and was drawn to its metaphorical, minimal, yet vividly descriptive language found in Asian literary traditions. One passage particularly resonated: ‘Although we may live together (with others) like water and lotus, (between us) there is no closeness. Although saints may live apart, like the moon and lotus, they still long for one another.’ This imagery reflects the subtle tension between elements, a quality I also seek to express in my artworks.

Film 

During an art history class I teach, I came across the film Gauguin: Voyage to Tahiti. It led me to explore the artist’s biography more deeply and to appreciate his work from a different perspective. The film prompted reflection on the nature of the artist, questions of morality and aesthetics, and the diverse inspirations that shape the creation of artworks. It also inspired my own thoughts on how art emerges through the interplay of experience, interpretation, and context.

Internet and TV 

The internet provides me with opportunities to promote my work, connect with fellow artists, and find new sources of inspiration. One particularly inspiring example is the glassblowing competition series Blown Away, where I was mesmerised by the skill of visiting glass artists and the delicate sculptures created under each design challenge. The series encouraged me to explore international courses and artist residencies focused on experimental techniques in ceramics and glass as pathways to further develop and expand my artistic practice.

Music 

A musical performance that struck me with its originality was Teatranja – The Conductor Sings, a multidisciplinary show that brought together music, theatre, and literature in an intimate setting. The experience, along with the classical music performed, was deeply emotional. Its atmosphere and musical language stayed with me, offering new perspectives on how different art forms communicate. In an interesting way, it resonated with my own interest in finding common ground between the shifting qualities of the ceramics and glass materials.

Place 

I love exploring Bulgarian nature and countryside when I return home. Bulgaria has a rich heritage of ancient Thracian sanctuaries, Eastern Orthodox monasteries, and sites often described as places of strong energy. Locations that have stayed with me include the stone formations in Southern Bulgaria, the Rila lakes, and small villages around the Black Sea coast. I see these places as contributing to my artistic identity, and certainly, traces of their atmosphere surface in my work.