Many in the local art scene known Joseph Chetcuti as the main Maltese bronzesmith responsible for the casting of other artists’ works. Joseph Agius talks to curator LISA GWEN about the current exhibition at MUŻA that showcases him as an eminent sculptor in his own right

JA: Joseph Chetcuti: The sculptor and bronzesmith is a retrospective, commemorating Joseph Chetcuti on the fourth anniversary of his death. He is well-known in the artistic circles as being the owner of probably the only bronze foundry in our country. Do you feel that working for other artists affected deeply his own oeuvre?

LG: In actual fact, the initial proposal for this exhibition was positioned as a retrospective, and in some respects it still is, however, Joseph participated in very few shows throughout his artistic career. We would like to ‘paint a different picture’ of Joseph, wherein he is not only known as ‘il-brunżar’ (the bronzesmith), but also as a sculptor and artist in his own right.

Funderija Artistika Chetcuti is one of the only foundries extant on the island, and the only fully-fledged active artistic foundry. As a side, yet relevant note, in 2022, Funderija Artistika Chetcuti was recipient of the award for Endangered Crafts, while Joseph Chetcuti received the Lifetime Achievement award, posthumously. Both awards formed part of Premju Ġieħ L-Artiġjanat, by the Malta Crafts Foundation.

Being a bronzesmith in the 90s and in the noughties meant that he was overwhelmed with work, mostly when it came to the casting of public monuments. His work, skill and trade, was in high demand. Joseph often had a team of four to assist him with some of the larger projects, such as the Immaculate Conception of Cospicua, the Jean de Valette monument or even the monument to Dom Mintoff, also in Cospicua. Tight deadlines and timeframes would limit him from delving into his own practice; his eldest son, Christopher, recounts how he would press his father to concentrate on producing his own work and developing a portfolio.

Another aspect, which perhaps few consider, is that he had a large family to look after – six in all – Joseph was the breadwinner and had to provide for them all. He is known to have practically given away some of his works, for a quasi-pittance, in an attempt to make ends meet. He was also a very generous man, and teacher – he would gift his students their portrait busts, after they modelled for him, for instance. There must be countless works out there which we have no record of, at present.

Dom Mintoff (2013). Polychromised plaster maquette. Artist’s edition

JA: The art-loving public isn’t accustomed to Chetcuti’s work, which is a shame as he was a foremost sculptor in his own right. How does his oeuvre fit within the backdrop of Maltese modernism in general?

LG: As a curator, contextualising Joseph Chetcuti’s work, and placing it against an art historical backdrop, is of the essence; Joseph was awarded prestigious commissions during his lifetime, and between 2011 and 2016, he also taught sculpture, modelling and casting at the Malta Government School of Art, today known as the School of Art, which was clear recognition of his ability, knowledge and expertise in the field. His classes had as many as 70 students, per annum.

He was a mere 18-year-old when he enrolled at the Malta Government School of Art; there, he followed the courses in drawing, modelling, stone and wood carving – the latter with Chev. Vincent Apap, who would become a mentor to him; Chev Apap also collaborated with him and the foundry on several artworks and commissions.

In 1983, Joseph received a bursary awarded him by the Istituto di Cultura Italiana in Valletta to attend the Accademia delle Belle Arti in Florence to study sculpture and design. Joseph spent four years in Florence, during which time he also found employment at the Fonderia Artistic Leonardo del Giudice, where he obtained the experience that would define the rest of his career. During this time, he also worked with renowned Italian artist, Pietro Annigoni (1910-1988).

However, his greatest impact came on return to the islands, where Joseph turned his home garage into his first workshop where he started casting small-scale bronzes. This was the early 1990s; a decade later and the foundry as we know it today was ‘born’. Chetcuti helped shape the landscape of public art and monuments in Malta. There are a number of his own works dotted around the islands; however, the number of works cast at the foundry – be they smaller artistic works which could be shown in exhibitions, portrait busts of dignitaries or historical personalities as well as towering monuments that required several hands to cast.

Joseph’s idiom and aesthetic was classical, figurative, at times almost idealistic – a quality which remains distinctly Italianate, and which harks back to the early teaching practices at the Government School of Art. Joseph’s perseverance to represent the human figure, never waned.

Grandmaster Jean de Valette. Bronze copy of original maquette 2012. Artist’s estate

JA: His son is carrying forth the foundry’s legacy, which was set up in 1993. Can you tell us more about the history of the foundry and how Chetcuti’s son Christopher is doing so?

LG: The first foundry, in 1993, was set up in the garage of the Chetcuti’s marital home in Pembroke. It was there that Joseph cast his first works for Frans Galea. A few years later he was offered the use of a Nissen hut in the Luqa Industrial Estate (a stone’s throw away from the present foundry) and when a nearby plot became available, Joseph quickly snapped it up to create the workshop and foundry which his son, Christopher runs and manages in silo, today.

Chris has a very different vision for the foundry, which he calls ‘The Workshop’. Since his father’s passing, he has focused on working with a select number of artists on smaller commissions, the production of artworks for exhibitions or for personal enjoyment. Chris understands the need to brand and market the work of the foundry, as well as the need to maximise on the potential of the space, which is the reason why we jointly organised a pop-up sculpture exhibition, in March.

It was the very first time the space had been used to showcase artworks. This is something which we hope to continue expanding upon in the near future, in an attempt to create a space which could become a hub for artists working in three-dimensions, irrespective of technique or medium. The foundry is a magical space, full of unharnessed potential, and we long for it to become a point of reference on the island.

Immaculate Conception (2003-2004). Plaster maquette. Artist’s estate

JA: Many recent monuments by different artists in Malta were cast at the foundry, many of them by Christopher’s father. However, a noteworthy exception is the monument in Valletta that celebrates Grandmaster La Valette. This is entirely Christopher’s father’s work, from concept to execution. Was he proud of this achievement and are there any other monuments or public sculptures that are entirely his?

LG: The monument to La Valette is perhaps the highlight of Joseph’s career. He was indeed very proud to have received the commission and for the monument to be placed in such a prominent position in the capital city, which is named after the Grandmaster. Erected in 2012, the original monument in plaster is housed in the La Valette Band Club on Republic Street. This exhibition showcases the maquette (cast in bronze) of the monument, which stands circa 70 cm in height, as well as the portrait bust of the grandmaster, which is a detail of the monument outside MUŻA and adjacent to the Old Opera House.

There is a whole list of monuments and public artworks which he designed, modelled and cast himself. His wife, Nathalie has listed all his achievements in a website dedicated to him (https://josephchetcuti.com/). The Immaculate Conception, mentioned above, was another most important monument which was entirely his, in concept and execution.

JA: This retrospective will surely be an eye-opener as regards an important Maltese sculptor and maybe address a lacuna as the art-loving public will get to know what Joseph Chetcuti was all about. Are there any plans to foster this in the future?

LG: This exhibition was a huge project for all of us. It has been on the books for some 25 months. It has taken a serious amount of energy to get here, and has been done solely through the personal resources of the Chetcuti family. There are no public funds, no sponsors, other than the support being given by Heritage Malta and MUŻA. The research, the visibility, the sorting through the thousands of drawings within the family’s collection… not to mention the exceptional work that Chris has undertaken in order to breathe new life into a series of works, which in the wrong hands would have surely perished, has been considerable, to say the least.

Several works included in the exhibition, had been left in plastiline, and were consequently severely damaged. Chis went to great lengths in order to produce plaster casts of the originals, specifically for this exhibition. There are many works in private collections, and other works still, which need attention and repairing. We sincerely hope that this focus on his life and artistic career may renew interest in his work and seal the reputation of the foundry. We hope that this exhibition may translate into a study, an in-depth analysis of his work, and his contribution to the landscape of public art in Malta. Personally, I’d love for his work to be considered and included in publications as well as thematic exhibitions, and shows focusing on three-dimensional art.

Joseph Chetcuti: The sculptor and bronzesmith, curated by Lisa Gwen and hosted at MUŻA, is on until June 25.