Ċ A F Ċ I F
By Dominique Ciancio
The exhibition opens on Sunday 7th December from 11am until 2.30pm.
Dominique Ciancio’s latest body of work invites us to imagine what the sea might say if it could speak — what tales it could tell from an island forged by waves.
‘Ċ A F Ċ I F’ is a Maltese word that describes the act of splashing about in water. It is onomatopoeic - descriptive of the sea as it utters a sound that is both timeless and somewhat repetitive.
With its ability to reflect, the sea very often transforms into a deep mirror. Ciancio chooses to focus on this very introspective quality. Reflection thus becomes a visual allegory. With playful brushstrokes, a conversation gradually takes place. A dialogue between a maritime island and its traditional boats and swimmers - protagonists that he chose purposely.
This collection of paintings is a meditation on identity. Swimmers can be a metaphor for longing, for connection with heritage, for immersion in memory. Traditional Boats are bearers of craftsmanship, history, and identity. The sea is both a boundary and a connector. It isolates, but it also links. It marks what is close and what is distant, what is safe and what is wild.
With his figurative representation, Ciancio’s canvases seek to create a deep sense of place, though not shying away from themes of vulnerability, struggle, and belonging. The identity of an island is a living narrative. It is never static - it lives in the memories of its history and in the choices communities make for its future.
With these paintings, the thread leads back to the shiny mirror-like quality of the sea - inviting us to reflect. Ciancio offers more than imagery of sea and shore. He brings Malta’s identity into focus, not as static, but alive, conflicted, luminous.
The exhibition is curated by Melanie Erixon.
📆 Ċ A F Ċ I F will run from the 7th till the 21st of December 2025.
Opening hours:
Mondays - Saturdays: 6am - noon
Sundays: 7am - noon
📣 More evening hours will be announced weekly.
Venue: il-Kamra ta' Fuq, 4, Church Square, Mqabba
Il-Kamra ta’ Fuq is supported by: Fish and Fish, Best Print Malta, Beati Paoli Restaurant, Art Waves, InterVisions Ltd, inkontru.app, and New Life Bar - Mqabba
Also check out other Arts events in Luqa, Exhibitions in Luqa, Fine Arts events in Luqa.
