An artist has found a creative way to question the need for the barriers that separate parliament from Freedom Square. 

Keit Bonnici climbed onto the 36-millimetre-wide barriers and walked across six of them in a performance that is being shown at an exhibition in Vienna. 

The barriers were put in place during political protests in December 2019, following arrests and resignations linked to the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Four years later, they have remained in place, and the decision to leave them there has come under fire in the past.

Bonnici described the performance, ‘Thirty-six Millimeter’ as a performative intervention about the “fragility of democracy”.

“I placed my body on the barriers between the complexities of democracy, institution, state, public and collective public memory,” he told Times of Malta. 

Keit Bonnici performing 'Thirty-six Millimetre'. Photo: Joanna Demarco

“I am questioning the thirty-six millimeter. Why is it there? What does it mean to be there? How is public space thought of? What is Freedom Square?”

Earlier this month Bonnici climbed the barriers barefoot and used a ‘palju’ (a hand fan) which he said acted like "a wing" to help him keep his balance. 

Last year, Parliament speaker Anġlu Farrugia said the metal barriers will remain in place until a “permanent solution” is found. 

Bonnici said that the use of the barriers in Freedom Square is ironic. 

“These barriers are doing the opposite of what the space should be. Open.”

A picture of Keit's work at the exhibition in Vienna.

A video of Bonnici's performance, along with the palju is currently on display at an exhibition at the University Gallery of the Angewandte in Vienna.

The exhibition includes a barrier with a screen leaning against it and the palju hanging on the wall.

Bonnici is no stranger to creative protesting and sparking questions about Maltese identity and environment. 

In 2021, Keit sparked a discussion on whether the George Cross should be removed from the flag, after designing a Maltese flag without it.

In 2020 he created the custom artwork 'Perch' which allowed him to sip on a home-brewed coffee on the ledge of the hotly contested outdoor dining space at is-Suq tal-Belt.

Keit Bonnici performing 'Thirty-six Millimetre'. Photo: Joanna Demarco