Malta may be a hive of modern construction at the moment, but one local stone sculptor is doing all he can to ensure a beautiful heritage for our island: “I’m always working hard to leave high quality and eye-pleasing work to the next generations,” says local artist and stonemason Joseph Micallef.

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A post shared by Joseph Micallef (@joseph_micallef_sculptor) on Jul 29, 2019 at 8:41pm PDT

The 37-year-old’s interest in Maltese stone sculpture ignited during his teenage years, and he has been working as a professional stonemason for the past decade. One of his most widely talked about restoration works involves a private residence in Hal Lija. Tasked with restoring its balcony, the process was a long and arduous one: “it took me almost a year to finish,” he reveals, adding that its old age and earlier patchworks rendered the process an intricate one.

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A post shared by Joseph Micallef (@joseph_micallef_sculptor) on Aug 6, 2019 at 11:07pm PDT

Together with architect Edward Said, they researched the house to find more about its history before the physical commencement of the work. They found that although the house was built in the late 1600s, the current façade might not have been the original one. Studies were also carried out on the state of the stonework, with the stonemason undergoing a process of stone replacement to provide structural safety.

Joseph made another big revelation: hidden underneath the surface of the balcony were decorative motifs. The balcony in question had undergone many patches and fixes along the years: “There were multiple layers of cement to keep it from falling apart,” he says. Unfortunately, etching out the remaining pattern did not prove possible as there were no references to go on.

The earliest photos of the house dated back to the 1950s, so Joseph left the motifs uncovered in case paintings of the house would ever surface which would enable a stonemason to continue the work. “When you’re not sure you leave it as a blank space,” he says.

The restorative works on the balcony have won two prizes so far: “Back in 2018 I took part in Gieh l-Artigant Malti and won the price in my category, and recently the architect won the XIV Din l-Art Helwa Architectural Heritage Award,” Joseph reveals.

Following works on various private residences and the opportunity to sculpt his hometown’s patron saint, St Helena, and execute the stone carving of the Naxxar Bambina and the sculpting of the apse and vault ceiling decorations in the Luqa Parish Church, Joseph is working towards achieving his next goal: “My next target is to be commissioned monumental work that will be placed in public spaces to be enjoyed by everyone,” he says.

His work is just stunning!