Sliema’s Timepiece: An Exhibition That Ticks Away

Ever found yourself staring at a clock, watching the second hand sweep around, each tick a fleeting moment gone forever? That’s the essence of ‘Chronos’, an art exhibition currently captivating audiences in the heart of Sliema.

Capturing Time in Canvas

Tucked away in the quaint Il-Ħaġar art gallery, just off Sliema’s bustling Tower Road, local artist Mark Mallia has been weaving his magic. His brushstrokes dance across canvases, not with paint, but with time itself. Each piece is a snapshot, a stolen moment in time, immortalised in oil and acrylic.

Mallia’s unique perspective is evident in his choice of subject matter. He doesn’t paint sunsets or landscapes; instead, he captures the ephemeral – a child’s laughter, a couple’s stolen kiss, the brief dance of raindrops on a windowpane. Each painting tells a story, a moment that’s already slipped away by the time you’ve finished admiring it.

Time’s Inexorable March

But why time? Why not love, or joy, or loss? “Time is the great equaliser,” Mallia explains. “It’s the one thing we all have in common, the one thing we can’t control. It’s fascinating, terrifying, beautiful – everything art should be.”

His fascination with time isn’t just philosophical; it’s personal. Mallia’s grandfather was a watchmaker, and he grew up surrounded by clocks. “I remember the rhythm of their ticking, the way they marked the passage of time. It’s something that’s always stayed with me.”

Sliema’s Role in the Art of Time

Sliema, with its blend of old and new, has provided the perfect backdrop for Mallia’s exploration of time. The exhibition is a love letter to the town, each painting a moment captured on its streets. There’s the brief reflection of the sun on St. Julian’s Church’s dome, the hurried stride of a commuter on The Strand, the quiet dignity of an elderly woman feeding the pigeons in Independence Garden.

But Mallia isn’t just capturing Sliema’s present. He’s also delving into its past. One striking piece depicts the town as it would have looked in the 1950s, bustling with activity, yet frozen in time. Another shows the old Sliema Theatre, now demolished, its grandeur preserved only in Mallia’s painting.

Mallia hopes that ‘Chronos’ will not just be an art exhibition, but a conversation starter. “I want people to look at these paintings and think about time,” he says. “About how we spend it, how we waste it, how we cherish it. I want them to leave the gallery and look at Sliema – and the world – with new eyes.”

And what about Mallia himself? What does he do with his time? He smiles, “I spend it painting, of course. Every moment is a gift, and I’m determined to make the most of each one.”