The Malta Society of Arts (MSA) presents Reflections on Porcelain, the first solo exhibition in Malta by internationally recognised Maltese artist Nico Conti. The exhibition opens at Palazzo de La Salle – the Society’s historic premises in Valletta – on Thursday 25 September 2025 at 7pm, and will remain on view until Thursday 23 October 2025.
Spread across five rooms of the MSA’s Art Galleries, the exhibition takes visitors on a sensory and emotional journey. Each space offers a distinct atmosphere, where porcelain shifts roles – at times comforting and familiar, at others obsessive or haunting.
“I always dreamed of having my first solo show in Malta,” says Conti. “My work has been presented in different parts of the world, but for this show I wanted the people who shaped me into who I am today to be present. My family, my friends, my educators. In a way this show is both a thank you and a reflection, a way to share what I have been exploring with the people who matter most.”
Working almost exclusively in porcelain, Conti fuses traditional craft with cutting-edge 3D printing technology. “Porcelain is what fascinates me most because it is both fragile and strong,” he explains. “Before firing it can collapse under the slightest touch, but once fired it becomes resilient, translucent, and can last for thousands of years.”
The exhibition draws on themes of memory, reflection, and transformation. In the opening room, for instance, Conti recalls his grandmother’s porcelain cabinet, placing delicate works behind fluted glass. “I wanted to capture that sense of familiarity and distance at the same time. It also feels like a nod to memories fading, where the shapes are still there but they start to blur,” he says.
Visitors will encounter porcelain in unexpected ways, experiencing its glow, fragility, and strength as light and shadow shift around it. “Porcelain will probably surprise them,” Conti notes. “Many people only know it from plates or figurines, but here they will see it transformed. The show is not just about objects, it is about experiences. Porcelain can become lace, stone, memory, or light.”
“We are delighted to host Nico Conti’s first solo exhibition here at the MSA,” comments MSA Acting President Roderick Camilleri. “His innovative use of porcelain and 3D printing bridges tradition and technology in ways that resonate deeply with our mission to support both heritage and contemporary art.”
Reflections on Porcelain by Nico Conti runs from 25 September to 23 October 2025 at the Malta Society of Arts, Palazzo de La Salle, Valletta. Opening hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 7pm, and Saturdays 9am to 1pm. Entrance is free. For more details about the exhibition please visit www.artsmalta.org or www.facebook.com/maltasocietyofarts.
Photography by Kim Sammut.
