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Winning design and location for Oliver Friggieri monument
Photo: Heritage Malta
The jury appointed to select the winning design for a monument to be erected in honour of literary giant Oliver Friggieri, announced that it has chosen artist John Grima’s proposal as the winner.
It was also decided that the monument be placed in Floriana, where Professor Friggieri was born and raised. Just last December, Heritage Malta, under the auspices of the Office of the Prime Minister, announced that it was launching a call for proposals for the design of a monument to Professor Friggieri, who passed away the previous month.
By means of the call, interested artists were invited to submit designs for a figurative bronze monument, which indicatively had to be completed in time to be unveiled in November 2021, in order to coincide with the first anniversary of Professor Friggieri’s death.
Photo: Heritage Malta
Photo: Heritage Malta
The process was coordinated by Mario Cutajar, Heritage Malta’s Executive Director, and Principle Permanent Secretary within the office of the Prime Minister.
Further to the publication of the shortlisted submissions in January, and following the required discussions with the artists concerned, the appointed jury selected John Grima’s proposal. What’s more, the proposed location of the monument is near the First World War monument, opposite the monument to Dun Karm Psaila, our national poet. The budget for the design and construction is circa €100,000, all inclusive.
The other two shortlisted submissions, by Chris Ebejer and Lino Bianco, were recommended for an honourable mention by the jury. Therefore, they will be awarded the prize money! Heritage Malta and the jury, on behalf of the ministry for National Heritage, Arts and Local Government, and on behalf of the office of the Prime Minister, would once again like to thank all the artists who participated in this call for proposals.
For more information, check out Heritage Malta here.
