HM Topia Exhibition Catalogue

‘TOPIA’ explores Malta’s heritage, culture, and communities by focusing on one of the island’s most iconic features – its local shops.
First inspired by the typical Maltese shop fronts on a visit to the island in 2019, Barford embarked on a journey across every town and village in Malta and Gozo, amassing over 11,000 photographs of shops, creating a portrait of contemporary life on the islands.

These photographs have been used to make 1,000 handmade, fine bone-china buildings, each representing one of the shops he encountered. This project also features recorded interviews with shop owners, offering visitors an intimate connection with the faces behind the facades.

This publication offers a further insight into the stories of these beloved local establishments while presenting the artist’s final artwork and the curator’s experience.