Karachi-based visual artist, Rabia S. Akhtar, was selected to be the international creative in the Artist-in-Residency (AiR) Programme (Gozo). The aim of the programme, supported by Valletta 2018 and Fondazzjoni Kreattivita, is to enhance cultural diversity within the Maltese creative scene and encourage productive interaction between local and international creatives.
Meanwhile, Rabia, together with Gozitan mosaic artist, Mary Portelli, produced a mosaic panel, titled Nine Doors. The mosaic represents a fictional scenario inspired by Rabia’s research and interaction with Gozitan artisans and craftsmen during her stay on the island.
The mosaic is about a honey-coloured vessel with nine glass doors wandering in the sky. The vessel houses a secret market obscured by the many coloured doors. Within the ship exist flamboyant artisans and craftsmen who create beautiful and whimsical objects to try and capture the phantom-like fish that journey the skies.