Sam Vassallo met LILY AGIUS at her independent gallery to talk about past shows, present preparations for one last show in June and what the future has in store.

Contemporary art aficionado Lily Agius is bidding farewell to her gallery in the heart of Sliema after more than a decade of flagship exhibitions and events. And while the local art scene says goodbye to one of the island’s few permanent art spaces, this doesn’t mean Agius is slowing down anytime soon.

“When I started 15 years ago, it felt like a Sisyphean battle to give Malta’s artists the recognition they deserved. We’ve come a long way since then, but we’ve still got a lot to do,” Agius explained.

Closing this gallery space allows Agius to focus on promoting her artists internationally and the flexibility to do pop-up shows around the island.

“I feel like now is the time to focus on the bigger picture. I have my art publication, The Malta Artpaper, which we plan to publish in major art hubs in Europe and the Middle East. I want to establish my presence in London, where I grew up. I’ve also just moved to Floriana, where I have an interesting space which will hold some pop-ups and workshops called Green Shutters, which is another challenge to keep me on my toes.”

Over the years, the gallery established itself as a melting pot and meeting place for artists, art lovers and collectors alike.

I feel like now is the time to focus on the bigger picture- Lily Agius

“It’s been great doing non-stop shows. The gallery has hosted such an interesting catalogue of contemporary art. I remember one show we did called 6:6, presenting the art of six established and six emerging artists side by side, artists whose bodies of art weren’t necessarily aligned but presented an interesting catalyst to discuss and reflect. That’s one of the beauties of art,” she said.

The gallery has also been a space for different disciplines of art practice, like dance performances and music recitals.

This was all present at the last show at Lily Agius Gallery called Black Clouds of Smoke Made the White Clouds Look Dark by CO-MA. The event included a swooning improvised piano recital by Yun Cai, which was interpreted by contemporary dancers.

Yun Cai’s piano recital being interpreted by contemporary dancers.

Ten years and hundreds of shows later, Agius, who was constantly adjusting art works on the wall during the interview, is clearly just getting started.

“I started this project because artists needed a professional space dedicated to exhibiting work. A place where you could meet dedicated clients face-to-face, a place for locals to experience what the scene has to offer, which is a lot. I’ve been extremely lucky to work with such talented people, meet regulars, find a space in Sliema and have such a fantastic landlord,” she mused.

Lily Agius Gallery’s final collective show in the Sliema space will be held on June 18 with a piano performance by Yun Cai, followed by a solo show on July 1 by Christian Palmer at Green Shutters in Floriana. For more information, contact Lily and sign up to the newsletters via info@lilyagiusgallery.com and +356 9929 2488.