'TOPIA' is an installation by London-based artist Barnaby Barford, held at MUŻA, Malta's National Community Art Museum. 'TOPIA' will explore Malta's heritage, culture, and communities by focusing on one of its most iconic features - its shops.First inspired by typical Maltese shop fronts during his visit to the island back in 2019, Barford started off this project by journeying through every town and village in Malta and Gozo, accumulating more than 11,000 photographs of shops along the way. In this way, he took a snapshot of contemporary life on the islands. The artist then created a miniature world consisting of 1,000 handmade fine bone china shops, each representing one of the retail outlets he visited. Barford carefully assembled these artworks along and on top of each other to mimic the composition of two Maltese rubble walls, creating a street.The exhibition offers a unique perspective on Malta and Gozo during a period of rapid transformation, holding up a mirror to today's life on the islands, and encourages the public to partake in reflection and conversation on the evolving socio-cultural landscape. Visitors will have the opportunity to purchase these unique pieces online, with proceeds supporting Heritage Malta's community and contemporary art projects.
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