I recently had the chance to be part of something truly special at St. James Cavalier Centre for Creativity, an interactive exhibition for children called 5, and I have to say, it’s one of the most imaginative projects I’ve been involved in.
Part of the centre’s year-long intercultural dialogue programme, 5 immerses young children in a magical environment built entirely around the five senses. As they move through the space, children rediscover the world through smell, sound, taste, sight and touch, each sense opening a door into a different cultural experience. It’s a beautiful way to introduce children to cultural diversity: hands-on, playful, and completely absorbing.
One of the standout moments is the sound installation, where children compose their own rhythms through light-beam interaction with specially designed sounding pillars. Created by artists Vanessa Galea and Ruben Caruana, the pillars use percussive sounds from around the world, carefully selected by renowned percussionist Renzo Spiteri, and brought to life using Optimusic technology, sponsored by Transient Light and Sound Ltd.
The sense of sight is captured through a striking animation by Mark Scicluna, built from drawings children made about their own cultural backgrounds and everyday lives during workshops led by the Community of Malta Artists, a lovely touch that puts children’s own voices at the heart of the piece.
For smell, artists Jennings Falzon and Elaine Vella have built contemporary wooden structures filled with spices and herbs, each one evoking a different cultural tradition. And for taste, Terry Flaxton’s installation In Other People’s Skins, inspired by Da Vinci’s The Last Supper, invites children to gather around a table for a virtual intercultural dinner, a genuinely clever concept.
For my part, Ruth Curmi and I created the exhibition’s tactile environment, designing a space for children to explore purely through touch. It was a wonderful challenge to think about art in a way that doesn’t rely on sight at all, and to build something that invites children to slow down and really feel their way through an experience.
Curated by Katya Borg and assisted by Andrea Scorcia, 5 runs until November 2nd, with free entrance. If you know a child curious about the world, this is well worth the visit.
