Malta’s countless shops – many having endured through generations and historical events – are as much a part of the fabric of the nation as its culture and language.

Yet, despite their longevity as the wallpaper of local streets and the backdrop of every journey, these pockets of Maltese community are easy to take for granted.

A new exhibition at MUŻA, Malta’s National Community Art Museum, hopes to change that. TOPIA, an installation by London-based artist Barnaby Barford, features 1,000 fine bone china miniature shops, each crafted using photographs of shopfronts across Malta and Gozo. Opened in October and running until January 19, 2025, the exhibition is free for visitors to experience Maltese heritage in an entirely fresh way. Visitors can also purchase these unique, signed pieces, with proceeds going to support Heritage Malta’s community and contemporary art projects.

TOPIA

Barford’s inspiration for the project stemmed from a brief visit to Malta in 2019, during which he fell in love with the character and history of the island’s shopfronts. “The shops seemed like they were from a different age,” he says. “I found the flaking paint and aged quality of their façades beautiful and felt this immediate sense of place – these shops don’t look like anywhere else.”

Upon returning to the UK, he offered a proposal to MUŻA. “I wanted to create a portrait of the Maltese islands as they are right now – and what better way to do that than through their shops?”

Barford, whose international reputation includes a similar exhibition titled The Tower of Babel at London’s V&A museum, intended to begin the creative process for TOPIA in 2020 – until the pandemic forced a change of plan. Returning in May 2023, he travelled the islands on a bicycle, amassing over 11,000 shopfront photographs. “I loved the fascinating conversations I had with locals, discovering what it means to serve their community, and their takes on the changing landscape of Malta,” he recalls.

Barnaby Barford taking photos of shops.

Barford’s process of turning photographs into ceramics is as intricate as it is time-consuming. After editing thousands of images, he created decals – delicate ceramic transfers – to imprint shopfronts onto the miniature fine bone china boxes. The models were then fired at Stoke-on-Trent’s 1882 Ltd, renowned for its ceramic craftsmanship.

“The fragility of fine bone china was a deliberate choice,” Barford explains. “It’s a material that lasts forever, but shatters if mishandled. That juxtaposition mirrors the delicate balance of preserving community and heritage in a rapidly changing world.”

The installation’s rubble walls are equally symbolic: “Malta’s rubble walls are built to endure, much like the effort and love shopkeepers pour into their businesses.” The exhibition also features recorded interviews with shopkeepers, providing a deeper connection to the shops. “Hearing their stories, trials and triumphs makes you appreciate the human endeavour behind every façade,” Barford shares. “These shops aren’t just bricks and mortar; they’re living, breathing pieces of the community.”

Barnaby Barford signing some of the 1,000 fine bone china miniature shops.

The interviews also highlight the tension between preserving heritage and adapting to change. “Malta is changing at an exponential rate,” he observes. “This project celebrates what’s still here, while inviting reflection on what we value as a society.”

And Barford is keen that TOPIA – a title derived from the Greek word topos (place) – simply offers a chance for viewers to reflect. “I didn’t want to curate too much, nor tell people what to think,” he insists. “I wanted it to be an honest reflection, so that every person can add their own memories and narratives to it.”

Further bridging the gap between art and viewer, TOPIA also offers another new twist, just in time for Christmas: the chance to purchase the miniature buildings, each a one-of-a-kind signed artwork, from MUŻA or online. While proceeds support Heritage Malta’s community and contemporary art projects – ensuring the exhibition’s impact extends beyond its walls – Barford hopes each piece will serve as a nostalgic and personal reminder of Malta.

A selection of the miniature shops. Photo: Sylvain Deleu

“People who’d never set foot in a museum could own something meaningful and local to them,” he says. “These pieces let you take a part of Malta’s story into your home. It’s not just about owning art – it’s about preserving a moment in time and being part of a community. This project is a massive celebration of Maltese heritage and of the people who give it life.”

Discover more about the TOPIA exhibition and purchase the fine bone china miniature shops at www.topia.heritagemalta.mt.