A painting dedicated to Jean Paul Sofia and this mother, Isabelle Bonnici, has won one of the awards at the maltabiennale.art. 

The artwork, Deposizione, by the Italian artist Teresa Antignani, won the prize for the best work in the main pavilion at the inaugural maltabiennale.art on Saturday night at a ceremony held at Verdala Palace.

The winner was selected by an international jury of experts. 

Bonnici was Antignani's guest at the ceremony, and Antignani said she invited her because: “I did not win. Her courage won.” 

Deposizione by Teresa Antignani Photo: maltabiennale.art team

Antignani is an artist, researcher and activist whose work often uses the female body as a conduit to explore environmental abuses and the hypocrisy of the power dynamics that surround the environmental struggle against energy giants.

The oil on canvas painting depicts a contemporary version of the deposition surrounded by the rubble of a construction site, with cranes instead of crosses in the background, while in the forefront, a weeping mother holds onto the body of her deceased child.

Antignani first became aware of Jean Paul Sofia when she was visiting Malta for the first time in November and saw his banner in front of parliament. She said: “his name and that image struck me deeply. I started to study and look for as much information as possible about his story. I found out about Isabelle Bonnici and her fight for justice. I was strongly impressed by Isabelle's words in parliament.”

Antignani standing in front of the winning artwork. Photo: Sara Terracciano

Bonnici and Antignani first met at the Grandmaster’s Palace in May to show the victim's mother the final work in person. Although Bonnici was aware of the work and saw photos she said that seeing the piece in person brought about "an overwhelming feeling that brought tears in my eyes. A bittersweet moment and I am in awe that a foreign artist was inspired by a banner which we placed in front of parliament.”

Teresa Antignani with Isabel Bonnici (right) and the winners' trophy.

Bonnici said she feels proud that her son is a source of inspiration and that, hopefully, his death will not be in vain, and workplaces will be safer.

“Teresa managed to capture the pain of death, corrupt practices, and women and mothers who suffer in the sea of innocent blood. Obviously, I feel proud that so many people will keep the story alive and get to see this beautiful artwork,“ said Bonnici.

Antignani said, "I find it important that an international jury has decided to give visibility to a work of denunciation that tells a story that is still alive in the hearts of the people of this island."

And she hopes the award will illuminate Bonnici’s story and help her speed up the regulatory process concerning the construction of buildings in Malta.