I’ve been working on this project quietly for over a year now — a tribute to the colourful luzzus of Marsaxlokk, the fishing village I now call home after many years away. It’s a mix of realism and abstraction, with both imagined and true-to-life boats.
N 1
Each piece is made with resin and paper on wood, experimenting with different techniques using materials like sand, salt and wool as well as collage and sculpture. Each piece shows different perspectives of the village, filtered through colour, material and memory.
N 2 - N 5
I see the luzzu's as more than just inanimate objects. To me, these pieces are portraits. In a world where everything is being modernised, simplified and stripped of identity, these boats hold on to theirs. Each one has its own colours, form and details. Every luzzu tells a different story and has its own history.
N 6 - N 14
The eyes on the luzzu of Marsaxlokk are ancient guardians which are rooted in Phoenician tradition. These eyes watch over fishermen at sea, protecting them from misfortune and guides them home.
N 15 - N 23
Sometimes, colourful birds adorn the boats - symbols of freedom, flight, protection. A silent prayer.
N 24 - N 29
N30 – N38 are primarily made of paper, using papier-mâché and tissue paper for colour. These works are closer to water collages than paintings—created with almost no glue which allows the materials to merge organically.
N 30 - N 33
They are the most decorative and childlike of the series. With a vibrant and simplified colour palette, I aimed to illustrate a kind of utopia: a view of the world as it might be seen through a child’s eyes— colourful, graphic, playful and filled with imaginary elements.
N 34
I also shifted the perspective by framing Marsaxlokk through a window or an archway, allowing the interior to mirror the utopian vision of the outside world.
N 35 - N 38
N39 - N48 are inspired by the technique of pointillism, which gives each piece a dreamlike and peaceful quality.
N 39 - N 41
It captures the shimmering reflections of calm water, blurring the line between the real and the reflected which invites a sense of abstraction.
N 42 - N 45
Though it’s one of the most time-consuming methods in this series, it's also the most meditative.
N 46 - N 48
N49–N57 began with a simple intention: to reuse leftover paper scraps marked with paint. As I slowly collaged them together, I started filling in the white spaces, and the work naturally shifted toward an abstract prism of colour.
N 49 - N 52
From these shapes, I began to bring out more recognizable forms—luzzus emerging almost by surprise. Now they seem to float on radiant, fractured waves.
N 53 - N 56
The finished pieces feel abstract and fragmented landscapes- heavy, yet somehow full of light and optimism.
N 57
From dawn to nightfall- each painting captures a different moment in the passing day.
N 58 - N 63
N64 - N72 focus on the three-dimensional paper sculpting technique, paying homage to the intricate details of the luzzu boats. How many animals can you spot across these nine works?
N 64 - N 72
Pieces N77 - N85 mark the most experimental phase of the series- some are clear misses, others moments of discovery.
N 73 - N 76
I worked with salt, crepe paper and wet sand. Some attempts failed, others gradually dissolved into abstraction. But after several tries, one or two became unexpected favourites in the collection.
N 77 - N 85
This piece brings together the sea, sky and luzzus, evolving over time into a dreamy landscape.
N 58 - N 63
N87 - N93 explores the use of wool to evoke flow, texture and rhythm. Vibrant, surreal birds cascade gently against light rainbow skies, arching over the multicoloured luzzu boats below.
N 87 - N 92
One of my most time-consuming techniques, this piece marks a pause for now in the series.
N 93
I hope you enjoyed exploring this project as much as I've loved creating it. Most of the pieces are available for purchase on my Etsy shop, or you're welcome to contact me directly via email.
Thank you!