Il-Kamra ta’ Fuq is hosting the debut solo ceramics exhibition by Alfred Buttigieg during August, titled Figures Unbound.

Buttigieg is a well-known figure in the literature and theatrical scene. However, this exhibition showcases a different side to him ‒ equally creative and artistic, but in an entirely new medium.

Buttigieg has penned numerous plays, including Ir-Rewwixta tal-Qassisin, which premiered at the Manoel Theatre in 1986, Mela Hawn Xi Manikomju, and L-Interrogazzjoni, which won the National Book Prize for Drama in 2022.

Alfred Buttigieg

He is also the author of Dik il-Qtajra, which was banned when published in the 1970s. After a long career in education, Buttigieg retired in 2020 and took up a ceramics course at the Malta Society of Arts under Nadyanne Mangion’s tutelage.

I first met Buttigieg about a year ago when he invited me to his home to view the small sculptures he hoped to exhibit. I was uncertain of what to expect, but I was immediately intrigued by the group of figures before me.

Despair in Grey

These sculptures, contorted into impossible positions and finished with bright or shiny glazes, captured my attention. Our lengthy conversation about his new artistic journey revealed Buttigieg’s genuine enjoyment in creating these pieces. Each sculpture has a story, despite their anonymous, blank faces.

The works exude sensuality, evident in the contorted poses or the exaggerated breasts and phalluses. The raw execution of these figures gives a sense of speed, as if each piece was crafted in the same moment needed to strike a pose. The lack of detailed facial features shifts the expression to the bodily contortions, elongated limbs and torsos, and the positioning of the head and body. Buttigieg’s background in theatre might have influenced the intense expressiveness in each twist of limb and torso.

Large Bellied Woman

Some sculptures explore various facets of the human condition, while others evoke mytho­logical figures like Atlas or Sisyphus. For instance, in Atlas bearing the weight of the Missing World, a figure kneels with one arm raised, mimicking a heavy burden. Instead of a world on its shoulders, there’s a void in the back, perhaps symbolising something important missing.

Other pieces create a surreal experience reminiscent of a hall of mirrors, with extreme deformations and contortions. Examples include Contortionist in Grey, Nude in Grey, The Yogi, and Slender Figure with Bowed Head, all executed in a grey matt glaze.

The raw execution of these figures gives a sense of speed, as if each piece was crafted in the same moment needed to strike a pose

Another series features imposing corpulent figures, recalling the prehistoric Maltese Fat Lady’s body renditions, suggesting divine serenity and fleshly enjoyment. This inspiration may come from the prehistoric temples of Ħal Tarxien and The Hypogeum, near Buttigieg’s residence.

Twisted Woman in Red

The amplified breasts in Standing Fat Lady in Blue, Lady with Raised Arm and Large Bellied Woman draw clear inspiration from the Maltese Fat Lady, albeit with modern twists.

In Woman With Large Breasts, the exaggerated breasts seem to start from the waist. Buttigieg’s version of the Maltese Sleeping Lady, Sleeping Lady in Pink, is another highlight. The most controversial piece, Fat Lady in Blue, retains the seated pose of the Maltese Lady but features an unexpectedly elongated neck, caricature-like facial features and a bob-style hairpiece that, when seen together, gives the impression of a phallus.

Nude in Grey

Speaking of the phallus, Crimson Fiend with Phallus discreetly yet clearly showcases the male organ. Other works like Lost in Thought, The Prisoner, Whistler’s Mother with Long Arms, Whistler’s Sister (both homages to James McNeill Whistler’s Arrangement in Grey and Black No.1), Praying Nude and Despair in Grey convey more serious moods.

Buttigieg’s pieces like Acrobat, Upside Down Acrobat and Flexibility showcase incredible bodily positions. The latest works, Girl with Long Torso and Sitting Nude, are more realistic and detailed, finished in immaculate glossy white glaze.

Crimson Fiend with Phallus

Buttigieg’s ability to convey deep emotions and existential themes through bodily forms rather than facial expressions creates a thought-provoking experience for viewers.

The contrast between realistic and expressionist styles invites a diverse exploration of the human figure, highlighting its potential for both strength and vulnerability.

Atlas bearing the weight of the Missing World

Woman with Large Breasts

Sitting Nude

This exhibition becomes a profound commentary on the complexities of human existence, articulated through the dynamic language of the body.

Figures Unbound, curated by Melanie Erixon, is hosted at Il-Kamra ta’ Fuq in Mqabba until September 1. For more information, visit il-Kamra ta’ Fuq on social media.