Watch: Maltese Quarry Sets The Scene For URNA: Malta’s Pavilion At The London Design Biennale
Something big is brewing deep within one of Malta’s quarries – and no, it’s not construction.
The Malta Pavilion at the London Design Biennale, URNA, has taken a monumental step forward with an international team of architects, artists, and filmmakers bringing their creative vision to life in an extraordinary setting.
At the heart of this ambitious project is Paris-based Maltese filmmaker Stephanie Sant, who has been capturing a ritualistic exploration of cremation for the pavilion’s debut at Somerset House this June.
The centrepiece of this innovative installation? A stunning spherical sculpture, URNA, which reimagines how we memorialise death by turning cremated remains into objects of immense beauty.
The project brings together a dream team of creatives, including architects Anthony Bonnici and Thomas Mifsud of EBEJER BONNICI, curator Andrew Borg Wirth, art director Matthew Attard-Navarro, French photographer Anne Immelé, and Cypriot architect Tanil Raif. With Maltese craftsmanship from Halmann Vella and steel elements conceived by EBEJER BONNICI, this collaboration is rooted in innovation and bold creativity.
The quarry, transformed into a cinematic backdrop, hosted Stephanie Sant and her team as they shot evocative scenes featuring the half-constructed URNA.
The performances by Charlotte Grech, Martina Georgina, Zoe Camilleri, and Jesmark Scicluna added a raw, ritualistic energy to the project, all while quarry workers looked on curiously, occasionally pitching in to help.
Sant described the experience as surreal and deeply inspiring. Using Malta’s rocky landscapes to explore themes of timelessness, wilderness, and rebirth, she envisions this project as a meditation on how cremation will reshape our relationship with mourning and the physical remnants of life.
The URNA project aims to position Malta as a hub for radical creativity and cultural innovation, embracing forward-thinking ideas while celebrating the island’s unique identity.
Want to follow the journey of URNA? Check out their Instagram for updates and behind-the-scenes insights.
Who’s ready to see Malta’s creative brilliance take centre stage in London this June?
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