Malta’s Neolithic temples have always held a strong fascination for many, whether for their archaeological value or aesthetic qualities. They have inspired artists throughout the centuries and continue to do so even today.

It was indeed the magnificent temple of Ġgantija in Gozo, that brought together two young Gozitan artists into a project that celebrates this unique monument. The music of composer Mariella Cassar and the art of the visual artist Victor Agius will come together right on the summer equinox on June 21.

The project started as part of Cassar’s PhD research being carried out with Dartington College of Arts. She has long been interested in the temples.

“I have a very personal vision of Ġgantija. The temples are monumental yet minimalist. Everything falls into place in a simple yet effective manner.”

With this concept at the back of her mind she looked at other artists who have created site-specific works both locally and abroad. She did not have to look very far to find a good collaborator. Actually, she just had to look across the valley from her hometown of Victoria, specifically at Xagħra.

Agius is a young artist from Xagħra, who has worked with some of the best local contemporary artists in Malta, such as Austin Camilleri, Raphael Vella and Vince Briffa, who is also the curator for this project. His art has an elemental quality that finds strong affinities with Neolithic art and architecture.

It was therefore only natural that the two artists should come together to work on Ġgantija 2013, a musico-artistic project that explores the temples not as a historical monument or tourist landmark, but as an integral part of contemporary culture.

“We wanted to move away from the picture postcard idea of the temples and explore new dimensions and translate that into a modern language,” says Agius.

This is a sentiment that is shared with Cassar, who is keen on exploring different possibilities.

One would think that such an undertaking would be simply a matter of writing music and creating art inspired by the temples. However, that would defeat the whole purpose. The two artists have called their collaboration Ars Vitae, which roughly translates into ‘the art of life’. This idea is crucial to their artistic vision.

Cassar wants to move away from the restrictions of ‘classical’ music and use new instruments and improvised sounds.

Agius also wants to explore new forms of expression, and this project is, for him, his first major venture into conceptual and site-specific art.

The two artists have been working on this project since 2009. The early phases consisted mostly of research, but soon they faced the dilemma of how to combine the two different art forms.

One thing led to another and soon they found themselves in the temples improvising, which was easy for Cassar, being a musician, but not so easy for Agius.

But even Agius was surprised at how inspiration could be found from the most unlikely sources. “Originally, the ceramics were conceived simply as artworks, but as we went along we discovered they had several acoustic qualities. With a few modifications, we soon turned them into musical instruments in their own right.”

The performance in Ġgantija is only a small part of the whole project.

“It will be documented, and the audience reactions taken into account. These will be the basis for a final exhibition,” says Cassar.

“We will also be holding several workshops with children and adults conducted by guest lecturer Christopher Best, which will explore creativity and improvisation in connection with the temples.”

Both artists are aware that Gozo needs a greater injection of contemporary culture, and they hope their project will help draw Gozitans closer to it. They both come from an educational background and understand the importance of cultural education not only within the classroom but on a broader community level.

Ġgantija 2013 is being hosted by Heritage Malta and supported by The Malta Arts Fund, Banif Bank (Malta) plc, GasanMamo Insurance, Gozo Culture and Information Office, Xagħra local council, Abraham’s Supplies and The Janatha Stubbs Foundation.

The multidisciplinary performance in Ġgantija will be held on Friday at 8pm. Although the event is free of charge, access is limited due to the sensitivity of the site and an invitation is required. Invitations can be acquired by sending an e-mail to arsvitaensemble@gmail.com.