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Melitensis Velouriana | Stand Alone Work

2022 | Artwork Series: Stand-Alone Pieces
Portfolio Section: Fine Art Portfolio

Exploring Maltese Identity Through Grief

Melitensis Velouriana delves into the intricate interplay between grief, cultural identity, and resilience. At the heart of this piece lies the figure of Vinċensa, the Maltese embodiment of Death—a character often overlooked in Western traditions. Her name, a euphemism for ground rent (Ċens), subtly underscores the notion of mortality intertwined with societal constructs. Blind and unyielding, she collects her due on her own terms, a stark reminder of the inevitability of loss.

The artwork draws inspiration from the poignant tradition of “Ara Ġejja l-Mewt Għalik,” a game where children guess who has tapped them on the shoulder, all while reciting a reflective poem. This playful yet profound interaction serves as a metaphor for the way we confront mortality, particularly through the lens of childhood innocence.

A Tribute to Resilience and Love

In this portrait, I reimagine the poem to critique the rampant greed and overdevelopment that threaten the very fabric of Maltese identity and heritage. The model, inspired by the iconic drag queen Sasha Velour—whose triumph on RuPaul’s Drag Race came in the wake of her own profound loss—embodies strength and creativity. My own experience of losing my mother to cancer in 2016 parallels this narrative, infusing the piece with a deeply personal resonance. As I raced against time to prepare for my debut exhibition “Epokaliss,” dedicated to my mother and inaugurated on the eve of her first absent birthday, I found solace in Velour’s unwavering spirit.

Melitensis Velouriana encapsulates the shared grief of children mourning their mothers and my sorrow for the decline of our cultural landscape. Yet, within this sorrow lies a powerful message: even when confronted with devastation, we possess the capacity to rise again, driven by love and the enduring beauty of our shared heritage.

This artwork is available in a range of art prints, including open edition Fine Art Prints and beautifully framed posters, inviting you to bring a piece of this narrative into your own space.

*Traditional Poem:

Ara Ġejja l-mewt għalik,
(Here comes death, for you)

Biiex tixwik, biex taqlik,
(to broil you, to fry you)

Ara ġejja, ara waslet,
(Look she’s coming, look she’s here)

Din id-daqqa min tagħielek?
(Who hit you?)

*Painting version:

Ara Ġejja l-mewt għalik,
(Here comes death, for you)

Biiex tixwik, biex taqlik,
(to broil you, to fry you)

Regħba, dħaħen u tifrik
(greed, fumes and destruction)

U sistema li taħxik
(and a system that fucks you)

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Melitensis Velouriana | Stand Alone Work

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