In her first solo exhibition, il-Maduma, Alison Agius reimagines the beauty and heritage of traditional Maltese tiles, transforming them into evocative portraits that bridge the past and the present. Each tile, salvaged from homes across Malta and Gozo, carries the marks of time, worn surfaces, subtle colour fades, and intricate geometric designs. Agius breathes new life into these discarded fragments of history, using oil paint to reveal faces and emotions emerging from the patterned surfaces beneath.

Every portrait in this collection is guided by the tile’s own design, the lines, cracks, and motifs shaping the sitter’s mood and character. Drawing from family members, acquaintances, and found references, Agius creates a powerful dialogue between material and expression, where each gaze and gesture reflects an inner truth beyond mere likeness.

The works are framed using custom wooden supports and stainless-steel bolts, deliberately exposing the edges to preserve the authenticity of the original tiles. This artistic choice underlines Agius’s respect for both material and memory, evoking a delicate game of “hide and seek” between the person and the pattern. The result is a body of work that celebrates a fading facet of Maltese cultural identity while reinterpreting it through a contemporary lens.

Comprising twenty-one unique pieces, il-Maduma is a closed, limited-edition series. Agius has announced that she will not create further works on traditional tiles, making this exhibition a singular and unrepeatable exploration of Maltese heritage.