Pegasus, flight of freedom

For the fourth consecutive year, the Malta International Arts Festival (MIAF) joins forces with Refugee Week Malta for a community art project that brings together participants from refugee and local communities. Italian artist Michela Ciappini will lead the creation of a large-scale sand sculpture depicting Pegasus; the mythological winged horse from Greek mythology, soaring above decorative sea-wave motifs. The Pegasus sculpture invites us to perceive migration differently: a creature of freedom, captured and steered by another’s will. Today, many seeking safety live within similar confines: moving, working, contributing, yet bound by systems that shape their paths and possibilities. Like sand, these conditions can shift; shaping it together will become a shared act that invites us to reflect on refugees’  lived realities while reminding us of our ability to reshape what feels fixed, imagine something freer and shape what surrounds us.  This work is one of three sand sculptures commissioned by MIAF. In Valletta, Spanish artist Oscar Rodríguez Vila will create a sculpture that also serves as the set for a ŻfinMalta dance production while Belgian artist Enguerrand David will present a sculpture on the Dock 1 waterfront in Bormla.

Biographies

Michel Ciappini - sand sculptor

Italian artist Michela Ciappini attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Bologna, specialising in stage design with a focus on applied arts for theatre. For many years, she worked in theatre, television and film productions, gaining extensive experience with materials such as polystyrene, wood, paint, clay, plaster, resin and concrete. In 2004, Ciappini began creating sand sculptures on beaches, exploring the possibilities of ephemeral materials. This artistic journey expanded to snow and ice sculpting in 2010. Since then, she has worked professionally as a sand and ice carver for numerous theme parks and events across Europe and beyond, including projects in Belgium, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Colombia, Indonesia, Italy, Latvia, Russia and Switzerland. Among her accolades are the Sculptors’ Choice Award at the San Diego Sand Sculpting Challenge (2014) and First Prize in the Solo Ice Sculpture Competition Gelato d’Oro in Rimini (2019).

Dance Beyond Borders

Producers Dance Beyond Borders (DBB) adopt an artistic approach to bring people together, celebrating diverse identities and transforming conflict into connection. They aim to support individuals in thinking critically and feeling deeply about their experiences. Merging the worlds of art and activism, their work addresses social justice issues that affect our communities while creating spaces where artistic expression and social engagement converge, promoting dialogue, understanding and connection across diverse communities. DBB is the local producer of the global festival Refugee Week; the largest arts and cultural annual festival that celebrates the contributions, creativity and resilience of people seeking safety In collaboration with Dance Beyond Borders for Refugee Week 2026