Artemisia's Birthday Treasure Hunt: Search for the 'Mihrab'

To celebrate a milestone birthday this year, Artemisia Fine Arts & Antiques has stepped outside the gallery walls. In a move that bridges the gap between Malta’s ancient topography and its modern artistic mastery, a unique treasure hunt has been launched across a storied, coastal landscape.

At the heart of this quest is a work of significant academic and aesthetic weight: a unique print titled Mihrab by the renowned Norbert Francis Attard.

The provenance of this particular piece is what truly distinguishes it. It was acquired from the personal collection of the late Dennis Vella, the esteemed former Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the National Museum of Fine Arts (MUŻA). Vella was a titan of the Maltese art scene, a man whose eye for quality helped define the National Collection. To possess a work that was once part of his private quarters is to hold a direct link to the curators who shaped the island's artistic identity.

The Mihrab itself—an architectural niche indicating direction—is a hallmark of Attard’s disciplined, symbolic style. Having trained as an architect, Attard uses the form to explore themes of focus, memory, and the "ideal doorway." It is a fitting trophy for a seeker who must navigate a physical path to find a spiritual one.

The hunt takes place in a location chosen for its deep-rooted connection to Malta’s past. It is a site where ancient cart ruts remain etched into the stone, and where the "iron veins" of modern utility cut across the "floor of ancient fame."

The challenge set by Artemisia requires more than just physical endurance; it requires an eye for detail and an understanding of the local "tongue." From the chime of a ten-bell carillon to the sight of a broken isle where history and myth collide, the participants are being asked to truly see the land.

While the artwork is valued at €600, the true value of the lies in the experience of the hunt itself. In an era of rapid development, Artemisia remains committed to celebrating the pockets of our island where history still breathes.

One winner will emerge. One seeker will solve the final riddle, peel back the mark, and claim a piece of history. Until then, the ridge keeps its secrets. *clue*