Chisels, mallets, Maltese limestone, good space and lots of initiative. These were the ingredients of a stone sculpture workshop in a Mqabba quarry last March, when Warti (Werkxoparti) organised the third in a series of specialised meetings. Sammy Mifsud made his quarry available for the 20 participants attending the workshop. Anton Grech, Antoine Farrugia together with Volker Hauswirth, a German artist and co-organiser of the European Art symposium in Frauenstein 2006, organised the space and facilities for the workshop. Dr Louis Galea made an informal visit to the event.

For most of the people attending the workshop this was the first sculpting experience in a quarry, which presented a new set of aesthetical problems. The idyllic silence in the quarry was soon broken off by the rhythmical sound of 20 chisels and mallets working the stone, reminiscent of archaic stone working techniques. Every participant developed his or her own concept.

On 12 May, Warti also organised a visit at the National Archives in Santo Spirito, Rabat. Charles Farrugia, national archivist, gave an informative presentation on the facility and collection.

Warti is a local, young artists’ organisation, working in the field of art towards the development and promotion of a national, contemporary visual culture and identity.