Remember the scent of fresh bread wafting from the bakery on a Sunday morning? The echo of your footsteps in the quiet, cobbled streets of Mdina? Or the thrill of sneaking into the old, abandoned house on your street, convinced it was haunted? These are the memories that inspire ‘Stories Revisited’, a new exhibition at the Malta National Museum in South Street, Valletta, that’s got locals reminiscing and visitors curious.

Growing up in Malta: A tale of two cities

Malta, a tiny archipelago in the Mediterranean, is a place of stark contrasts. On one hand, you have the bustling, cosmopolitan cities of Valletta and Sliema, where modern life hums along at a fast pace. On the other, you have the quiet, winding backstreets of towns like Mdina and Rabat, where time seems to have slowed down, and the echoes of the past whisper through the air.

It’s this duality that inspired local artist and curator, Mark Attard, to create ‘Stories Revisited’. “Growing up in Malta, I experienced both sides of this coin,” he says. “One moment I’d be playing football in the narrow streets of Rabat, the next I’d be exploring the grand palaces of Valletta. I wanted to capture that in my art.”

Uncovering forgotten stories

The exhibition is a visual narrative, a collection of paintings, photographs, and installations that tell the stories of growing up in Malta. Each piece is a snapshot, a moment frozen in time, capturing the essence of childhood in the Maltese Islands.

There’s the painting of a group of children playing ‘lapsi’ (hopscotch) in the narrow streets of Birkirkara, the photograph of a young boy fishing off the rocks in Marsaxlokk, and the installation of an old-fashioned classroom, complete with wooden desks and chalkboards, that transports visitors back to a time when education was a communal experience.

“We’ve all got these stories, these memories,” says Attard. “But they’re often forgotten, overshadowed by the noise and bustle of modern life. I wanted to revisit them, to bring them back to life.”

A call to remember

‘Stories Revisited’ is more than just an exhibition. It’s a call to remember, to reflect on the past, and to appreciate the unique character of Malta. It’s a reminder that, despite the changes, the essence of the Islands remains the same – a place of warmth, of community, of stories waiting to be told.

So, if you find yourself in Valletta, take a detour to South Street. Step into the Malta National Museum and let ‘Stories Revisited’ take you on a journey through time. Let it remind you of the past, of the simple joys of growing up in Malta. And who knows? Perhaps it will inspire you to share your own stories, to keep the tradition alive.

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