Visions of Memory: Kylie Aquilina’s Video Art in L-AĦĦAR BASTIMENT – Stories from the Grand Harbour

As part of the Mikiel Anton Vassalli College (MAVC) annual live production L-AĦĦAR BASTIMENT – Stories from the Grand Harbour, video artist Kylie Aquilina brings a powerful visual dimension to the multidisciplinary arts performance, transforming history into a living cinematic experience.

Aquilina is a graduate with a B.A. (Hons.) in Fine Arts and an M.A. in History of Art from the University of Malta, where she studied at the Department of Art and Art History. Her multidisciplinary practice moves fluidly between artistic creation and archival research, allowing historical traces, forgotten narratives and visual culture to shape her artistic language. Through this dialogue between past and present, her work seeks to revive memory while inviting audiences to reflect on identity, heritage and the possibilities of the future.

Her research and creative practice often focus on visual culture, cultural identity, folklore and mythology, themes she explores with a thoughtful balance between historical depth and contemporary interpretation.

For L-Aħħar Bastiment – Stories from the Grand Harbour, Aquilina presents a triptych of video projections that unfold in dialogue with the musical compositions by Reuben Pace. Through this immersive visual language, audiences are transported into significant and emotionally resonant moments from Maltese history.

The video work seeks to humanise the monumental presence of the historic ‘bastimenti’  –  the ships that once shaped the life of Malta’s Grand Harbour by reconnecting these vessels with the human stories, struggles and hopes that surrounded them. Through carefully constructed imagery and atmosphere, the projections evoke memory, movement and the passage of time, inviting viewers to experience history not merely as record, but as lived experience.

For this project, Aquilina collaborates with researcher Rubi Mercieca on archival material and with Moveo Dance Company, bringing together music, visual art and movement into a unified and evocative artistic experience.

The MAVC production L-AĦĦAR BASTIMENT – Stories from the Grand Harbour continues to highlight the College’s commitment to innovative multidisciplinary artistic projects that connect history, creativity and contemporary performance.

The performance will take place on Saturday 9th May 2026 at St. Agatha Auditorium, Rabat.

🎟️ Admission is free, but tickets must be reserved in advance via:
https://www.ticketline.com.mt/bookings/Shows.aspx?ProductionId=1293