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Alexia Medici is a Maltese conceptual artist based in Barcelona. She is married with two young kids, Liza aged 4 and Tommy aged 2.
How did you get started?
I started off by attending the School of Art in Valletta and then practiced with artists such as Olaug Vethal and Raymond Pitre whilst in Malta. Art ceased to be a hobby and became an integral part of my identity once I moved to Barcelona.
What genre do you consider your work to be?
I would consider my artwork to be a blend between conceptual, expressionist and abstract art. Originally a painter, I moved to photography and new media once I got pregnant with my first child.
Describe your work in less than 10 words.
A visual poetry documenting my experiences, thoughts and feelings.
Where was your first exhibition held?
My first exhibition was held in Barcelona in 2007.
How long have you been painting?
I have been painting since 1995.
Which is your favourite from among your own artworks?
My artworks tend to be autobiographical and represent me in different stages in my life. My favourites would be the works that deal with important events in my life, such as deciding whether to start a family, or dealing with my father’s sickness and ultimately with his death.
Whose artist’s work are you most inspired by?
I was originally inspired by my great uncle Joseph Briffa. Thanks to him, I received the necessary support from my family to do art. It wasn’t something that they fought against. In painting, I was greatly inspired by my tutor Olaug Vethal and her use of colour. Nowadays I feel akin to Spanish artist Lola Guerrera. Our concepts are different, but we use a similar vocabulary.
If you weren’t an artist, what would you be?
I have many interests, so it could be anything from design (I worked in graphic and web design from 1998-2015) to teaching history to young kids, to ceramics to coordinating the contemporary art program (my current position).
What is the epitome of happiness for you?
Finding a way to channel my interests, gratifying conversations, feeling close to my loved ones and nurturing my young family happy and keeping it stable.
What are you working on at the moment?
At the moment I’m working on the theme of abstract photography. It started off as an expression of the melancholic state I felt after my father’s passing away. It is now becoming a language I feel comfortable with, and am using it on a series regarding inspiration and another concerning nature.
Are you a morning person or do you come alive at night?
I work well both in the morning and at night.
How many coffees a day? Don’t embellish.
I’m an irregular coffee drinker.
Sundays can be very productive for some and very unproductive for others. How do you spend yours?
Having young kids means that there’s no “me time” or any form of production on Sundays. We tend to do something together in the mornings and relax or meet friends in the afternoons.
Wine and cheese. Yes or no?
Yes.
If you were given a million euros, what would you indulge yourself with?
Take the course at the school I am currently working with, buy better equipment to work with, and invest so that I can make a better use of my time.
Favourite place to holiday?
I love travelling, but the Mediterranean remains my favourite destination. I love the sunlight here, the natural diversity, cultural and historic variety and the sea of course. My favourite countries are France, Spain and Greece… and Malta of course…
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