Figure In Rods represents the culmination of six years of close collaboration between the late Maltese artist Ray Pitrè and MICAS.

Described as a “proactive divergent thinker” by Dr Georgina Portelli, who heads MICAS’s educational committee, Pitrè reaches the pinnacle of his artistic journey with a powerful meditation on consciousness and human existence, which has now found its permanent home on the MICAS campus.

“While we deeply feel his absence, having sadly lost him just a few weeks before this unveiling, his profound vision lives on through this work, which serves not only as a tribute to a dynamic artist but also as a testament to Malta’s evolving artistic identity and reinforces MICAS’s vision for the future of Maltese contemporary art,” Dr Portelli said.

Ray Pitrè’s final work, Figure In Rods, inaugurated at Malta International Contemporary Arts Space

MICAS’s collaboration with Ray Pitrè underscores the contemporary arts museum’s commitment to documenting contemporary art in Malta.

Over the past six years, MICAS worked closely with Pitrè not only to realise this intriguing bronze and steel sculpture, but also to meticulously document his creative process, thoughts, and artistic evolution.

“This documentation, which we are presently processing, appraising and cataloguing, will form a valuable resource for future generations of artists, scholars, and art enthusiasts,” Dr Portelli said.

“Capturing the stories of contemporary art as they happen is crucial to understanding our cultural identity. We are conscious of the lacunae in systematically documenting contemporary artists and their works. MICAS’s goal is to actively address this challenge through a comprehensive digitisation initiative, that along with the MICAS Virtual platform, will help create an accessible archive that captures the vibrant history of Maltese contemporary art.”

MICAS’s collaboration with Pitrè establishes a model for the future, one that emphasises not only the creation of art but also the preservation of the artistic journey itself. From initial discussions to the final installation, from recorded conversations, the technical discussions between Pitrè and Austin Camilleri, which helped to convey and shape the concept into bronze in the most authentic way, and the documentation of the casting process, this rich tapestry of materials contextualises Figure In Rods within both Pitrè’s career and Malta’s broader artistic development.

“Figure In Rods reminds us that every artwork tells multiple stories – of personal vision, socio-historicity, the crafting of meaning, technical innovation, and cultural context. MICAS’s mission, therefore extends beyond the simple display of contemporary art to ensuring that these stories are preserved, studied, and shared with future generations,” Dr Portelli said. “This commitment to documentation and research continues to ensure that Malta’s contemporary art idiom finds its place in the global artistic dialogue.”