THE VALLETTA GIRAFFE

When art knows no heights: the story of the iconic “giraffe” protagonist of the commercial port of Valletta.

It is impossible not to notice the work of Maltese artist James Micallef Grimaud (known as “Twitch”).

For some time now, he has transformed the tallest crane in the Valletta dry dock into a giraffe.

Among the curious gazes of residents and tourists, the spotted steel animal has become over time a point of reference for the commercial port in the center of the Mediterranean.

To create the work, Twitch worked at night, in the dark, with a helmet and headlamp, for seven long months, while during the day the structure was busy with shipyard work.

The curious “animal” not only arouses amazement and amusement among passers-by, but also plays an important operational role.

The giraffe was created in 2018 on the occasion of the exhibition entitled “The island is what the sea surrounds” in conjunction with the initiatives to celebrate Valletta as the European capital of culture.

Twitch tells the Corriere di Malta:

As an artist I was very impressed by the fact that Malta is right in the middle of migration routes. So I used the Kordofan giraffe as a reference, a species at risk of extinction because it is found in the areas of Africa most affected by the war, and I gave it refuge in the Grand Harbour”. Not just any place, but an area which, according to the artist, «amplifies the need for a change in our way of seeing nature and in the relationship we have with the environment.

With his works, Twitch is one of the most important international street artists capable of transforming entire cities into open-air museums.

Many of his murals have a specific purpose, aimed at conveying messages of peace, hope and respect for all cultures, as well as raising public awareness.

(Source: corrieredimalta.com)

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