M’hemmx għalfejn tuża moħħok.
Palazzo 318 Gallery's debut Exhibition Featuring works by filigree maestro Kevin Attard and contemporary collective Auberge.
Featured Artist
Kevin Attard
Kevin Attard is one of Malta’s most acclaimed contemporary filigree artists, celebrated for pushing the boundaries of a centuries-old craft. Rooted in traditional silversmithing yet driven by an experimental spirit, Attard transforms delicate metalwork into sculptural, conceptual, and architecturally inspired forms. His practice challenges expectations of filigree — elevating it from ornament to art object — through precision, discipline, and an almost meditative control of material.
With a career spanning decades, Attard has redefined modern Maltese filigree on the international stage, creating works that are at once intricate, bold, and unmistakably his own.
About Auberge
Auberge is a contemporary design collective known for its bold, material-driven approach to metalwork and sculptural objects. Working at the intersection of craft, architecture, and experimental design, the collective explores how form, texture, and technique can be pushed beyond tradition to create work that feels both familiar and radically new.
Their pieces often carry a quiet sense of tension — precision balanced with spontaneity, structure meeting abstraction — resulting in objects that challenge conventional expectations of decorative arts. Auberge’s practice is collaborative at its core, merging diverse perspectives into a unified aesthetic that is clean, confident, and undeniably contemporary.
In dialogue with Kevin Attard’s refined filigree mastery, Auberge brings a fresh, modern counterpoint to the debut exhibition at Palazzo 318, expanding the conversation around Maltese craftsmanship and the future of metalwork.
A Short History of Filigree in Malta
Filigree has been part of Malta’s artistic and cultural identity for centuries, arriving on the islands through Mediterranean trade networks that connected Malta to Sicily, North Africa, and the Middle East. By the 18th and 19th centuries, Maltese silversmiths had developed a distinct style, characterised by extremely fine wirework, delicate spirals, and an emphasis on symmetry and precision.
Traditionally crafted in silver or gold, Maltese filigree became especially associated with devotional objects, jewellery, and ceremonial adornments. The craft was passed down through generations of master artisans, often within the same families, preserving techniques that require exceptional patience, dexterity, and discipline.
While historically valued for its ornamental beauty, filigree in Malta has undergone a quiet transformation in recent decades. Contemporary makers — including artists like Kevin Attard and collectives like Auberge — are redefining the medium, shifting it from decorative craftsmanship to expressive art. Today, Maltese filigree stands as a bridge between heritage and innovation, carrying centuries of tradition into new sculptural and conceptual realms.