Antoine Paul Camilleri invites viewers to pause and sit awhile

Poġġejt għax għajjejt – a new solo exhibition by Maltese artist Antoine Paul Camilleri curated by Melanie Erixon – opens in Mqabba’s il-Kamra ta’ Fuq gallery today, inviting visitors to slow down and rediscover the quiet beauty of stillness.

The Maltese title, which loosely translates as “I sat down because I was tired”, sets the tone for an exhibition centred on rest, reflection and the understated poetry of everyday pauses.

Drawing inspiration from a quote by Pierre de Coulevain – “I think I know how to sit down to look at life” – Camilleri presents a body of work that celebrates the simple act of sitting as a form of quiet resistance to constant activity.

Antoine Paul Camilleri

The exhibition emerged from a studio visit by Erixon who noticed a recurring theme in Camilleri’s recent practice. Scattered throughout the studio were sculptures of figures sitting on chairs, reclining, bathing or gently caressing a cat. These repeated gestures of rest and care became the foundation of the exhibition, shaping a cohesive narrative around moments of pause and release.

Works on display span ceramics, bronze sculpture and drawings. Despite the variety of media, the pieces share an intimate and meditative quality. Each figure appears absorbed in its own moment, unhurried and disconnected from the noise of the outside world. Together they form a quiet invitation to the viewer to do the same – to sit without distraction, without a phone and without the pressure to be productive.

Cat looking from window

At a time when daily life is often dominated by urgency and constant stimulation, Poġġejt għax għajjejt offers a gentle reminder of the value of doing nothing. Camilleri’s figures do not perform or strive. They simply exist, allowing their bodies and minds to rest. Through them, the artist encourages audiences to notice their surroundings, observe others and give space to thought.

Camilleri was born in August 1959 and is one of five children. From a young age he was apprenticed to his father, the late Antoine Camilleri, widely regarded as one of Malta’s most influential modern artists. He later studied under artist Esprit Barthet at Upper Secondary School and attended pottery classes with renowned ceramist Gabriel Caruana.

Nude iii

Seated Nude iii

Nude iv

Over the years, Camilleri has participated in numerous collective exhibitions and held several solo shows. His practice spans pen-and-ink drawing, acrylic painting, etching, watercolour, glass fusion with metal sculpture and ceramics. Now retired, he devotes himself fully to painting and sculpture from his studio in Pembroke.

Poġġejt għax għajjejt will be held at il-Kamra ta’ Fuq in Mqabba from January 4–18. More information can be found via the exhibition’s Facebook event page.