The upper galleries of St James Cavalier, Centre for Creativity, are displaying 79 works of the art and design students at MCAST. It is the fourth time that MCAST has exhibited its students’ work at St James Cavalier. The public will be able to discover, for free, real and surprising works of art in different mediums.

What is most striking about this exhibition is the diversity of the work presented. Clothes, jewels and different mundane objects, such as an umbrella stand or a very original wine bottle holder are only a small part of what is on display. You can even find a menu! Indeed, one student cooperated with a restaurant to create a computer-designed menu.

Every work is accompanied with a board giving the details of the process that obtains the final result. From conception of the project to the finished product, each step is explained.

An unusual clock that combines fire and water, made by Jennings Falzon, 20, was chosen as the best work and won a prize. On one side the clock is blue and on the other it’s red. To support it, Jennings sculpted a block of stone to look like an iceberg transforming itself into lava. Using carving techniques and different materials, he managed to make an amazing and original clock, which took three months to complete.

“My father works with stone as well,” said the student, who was quite surprised that he had won. “So naturally, I will choose stone as my specialisation next year.”

His teacher, Angelo Agius, is proud of his student who made the clock under his guidance. “First we made models in clay, and after that we knew we had to use solid stone as the work had to be very precise, especially the lava part, which makes it fragile,” he explained.

According to the head of the Institute of Arts and Design, Donald Friggieri, this exhibition is essential. “As we use public finance to make all of this, it is our duty to present the work to the general public,” he said. At the opening of the exhibition last Wednesday, the director stressed how “competitive” the professional environment in arts and design is. “We teach students to be efficient and effective,” he said. “This year’s exhibition is one of the best, with the largest number of works we’ve ever had,” he added.

It is obvious that the quality varies from one work to another but the exhibition reflects how well the students assimilated what they were taught, and some definitely have great talent.

The exhibition is open to 30 July.