Maltese Sculptor Joe Genovese Reforges Scrap Metal into Wildlife

Maltese artist Joe Genovese will show wildlife sculptures built entirely from recycled metal at the MANI Centre in Ta' Qali from 11 to 28 November. The exhibition, Metalmorphosis: Nature Reforged, is curated by Melanie Erixon and forms part of the programme at the Ta' Qali Crafts Village. Some of the metal in the works is more than 100 years old.

Genovese assembles each sculpture from reclaimed objects gathered from different places and periods. Through welding, reshaping and intricate craftsmanship, he turns scrap into detailed representations of feathers, muscles, scales and bones. The results read as both mechanical and remarkably lifelike. The exhibition, according to the organisers, explores the relationship between nature and machinery.

How does the artist build an animal from scrap?

The process starts far from the welding torch. Genovese carries out extensive research into each animal's anatomy, studying its structure and movement so that every detail is accurately represented. Finding the right materials matters just as much. He spends considerable time sourcing and adapting individual metal components to fit the shape of each creature.

The organisers say the collection challenges visitors to reconsider the value of discarded objects, while exploring themes of transformation, survival and reinvention.

Who is Joe Genovese?

Born in Mdina in 1957, Genovese grew up surrounded by craft. His father, Joseph Genovese, was a renowned traditional Maltese crib maker. The younger Genovese studied at the School of Arts before moving through clay modelling, ceramics, sculpture and gold plating.

By 1979 he had established his first workshops in Dingli. He later opened a studio in Mosta specialising in airbrush painting on cars, motorcycles and boats, and went on to found his own ceramics factory. His focus then shifted gradually towards expressionism and contemporary art.

A turning point came around the turn of the millennium. Encouragement from Dame Françoise Tempra pushed him to explore contemporary artistic expression further. Today his work combines decades of experience across disciplines, joining traditional craftsmanship with an unconventional approach to sculpture.

What does this change for Malta's craft scene?

The show places recycled-metal sculpture inside the Ta' Qali Crafts Village, the island's traditional hub for artisan trades, and gives discarded industrial material a gallery context. For visitors, it offers a rare chance to see century-old scrap reworked into anatomically studied animal forms by an artist with more than four decades of practice behind him.

Metalmorphosis: Nature Reforged opens officially on Wednesday 11 November, with an opening event from 7pm to 9.30pm. The exhibition remains on display at the MANI Centre until 28 November. Further details appear on the official Facebook event page.