In Valletta’s South Street, a venue called Studio 34 has popped up with a new approach to art. Gwen-Jane Agius talks to CLAUDE CAMILLERI (also known as Miloman) and JIMI LOVE about what makes the studio unique.

GA: Valletta, as the centre of culture in Malta, is dotted with many studios and exhibiting areas. How does Studio 34 stand out when surrounded by numerous places similar to it?

CC: I think the difference between Studio 34 and some other places is that our focus is about approachability. Our idea is when someone walks through the door, they feel like they’re at home. Sometimes, people have a fear of art when they haven’t been introduced to it; they are scared of not understanding and thereby be ridiculed. However, at Studio 34, they’re going to be welcomed and will be able to see some artists working live in a very relaxed and approachable environment.

Jimi Love with his artwork.

JL: There are many styles of art in one place, all under one roof, and you don’t see that in Malta often unless it’s a collaborative exhibition.

CC: I agree – the art is eclectic but it’s for everyone.

GA: How did the idea of Studio 34 first come about? What are its origins?

CC: Studio 34 opened in October of last year. I was lucky enough to be invited by a patron who told me they had this space and asked me if I would like to use it. Originally, since there are five rooms, I was thinking of assigning each room to one artist, but I eventually decided to fill them up with pieces from various artists.

Eight months later, there is no space left on the walls and we are maxed out when it comes to art. At the moment we are seven artists: Miloman, Mark Mallia, Jimi Love, Krista Sullivan, Bob Incorvaja, Jelena Jakovljevic and Vania Goshe. We’ve also invited some other artists to create some pieces, such as Harry Borg, Trevor Diacono and most recently a guy called Casper.

Mark Mallia (right) and Claude Camilleri (Miloman)

The approach was quite organic. I would have never thought I was going to open something like this. It was originally a one man show but, for the past few months, Mark Mallia – a renowned Maltese artist – started using the studio as his very own. He attracts people and has a style the Maltese love. Recently, Jimi Love has also joined. Although there are all these artists, the artists in residence who are creating in-house are Miloman, Mallia and Jimi.

GA: Although this is my first-time visiting Studio 34, I’ve seen photos from your Facebook page and you’ve created a little world in these cosy rooms, bursting with colour and harmonised chaos – a microcosm of all the artists’ inner worlds. How do your art and personalities find balance, or more of a visually exciting discord, in the studio?

CC: The art here is eclectic – as Jimi said previously, there are many different styles. However, the most interesting thing about Studio 34 is the experience. Mallia’s art is goth and dark; Miloman creates neo-pop art and also loves using UV, in fact there’s a room dedicated to it. Jimi Love has a ton of experience from different areas, such as street art, pop art, all the way to wearables, so he brings something great to the studio.

Claude Camilleri in the UV room.

This creates a good energy. When people come in, they can see Bob Incorvaja’s cubist work, Vania’s florals, and more classic contemporary art along with the styles previously mentioned.

Studio 34 might be the spark that generates an absolute behemoth in the art world 10 years down the line

JL: No two people are the same, even if they’re from the same family – they will be in Valletta for different reasons. They’ll come in and I can tell they’re intrigued from their reaction; as they walk through, each person will be drawn to a different piece. If it was just one type of art, it wouldn’t appeal to everyone. This way, people stay longer in the studio, look at other things, and hopefully buy something because it isn’t very expensive as far as handmade things go.

Various artists of different styles showcase their work at Studio 34.

It’s a nice experience to see so many different types of work on display in one place – it’s very rare. I’m from Brighton and this is a rare sight there too; it’s usually pop-up galleries that cater for that kind of thing. Big established galleries don’t want to touch that type of mix. So, Studio 34 is totally unique in my opinion. When I see brilliant projects such as this, I want to help.

GA: Studio 34 is open to audiences of all ages, which I found interesting as the participation and interest of children is not taken into consideration when it comes to popular exhibiting areas and studios; as in these cases art is seen as an indulgent activity reserved for those with the finest of tastes. How does encouraging children to make art and integrating their naivety and creativity help to stimulate the local scene, as well as improve it?

Mark Mallia’s work.

CC: I’m a self-proclaimed art ambassador to the island. One of the biggest joys that I have is when children visit and, after they leave, I get a message from their parents saying they’re actually drawing at home. Up until summer, I personally funded a free workshop for children at the end of every month.

It’s important to inspire the next generation. Whenever kids come here, the way they view art is much more exaggerated than ours. Sometimes as adults we tend to lose this, but children are more easily wowed.

A space like this is important for Malta, because, in most places, the opinion of children isn’t really considered; in Studio 34 we emphasise that the art is for all ages. At the same time, when children visit, so do their parents and we’ve had people ranging from three years old all the way up to adults in their 80s – it’s been pretty incredible.

Visitors can see the in-house artists working live.

JL: I don’t think anyone exits the womb fully formed as an artist. We’re all a collection of things that we’ve seen and the experiences we’ve had.

Studio 34 might be the spark that generates an absolute behemoth in the art world 10 years down the line – and it might’ve been from just one artwork. They’re not going to get that by going into a stuffy room full of expensive artworks that are totally over their head, and that they couldn’t afford or even have the chance to own.

I was influenced by skateboard artwork, where I’d buy art on a skateboard or a T-shirt from a local skate shop, and that is the stuff that made me go, “Wow I want to do that, how do I start?”

The prices range from €10 and upwards.

That’s one of the really good things about this venue, because people are intrigued. A place like this might be the kinetic push that starts a lot of imaginations turning – and I’m drawn to things like that, like a moth to the flame.

There was this art movement once called the Stuckists. Stuckism is where people get stuck making one thing – and I’m sick of that. I get stuck on my own art and I’m always trying to do something different, like an itch you try to scratch. Studio 34 is a hive of abandoning that entire Stuckism.

For more information, log on here.