The Nimxu Mixja project saw a number of students exploring the environs of Birkirkara and creating an artistic interpretation of their findings. Raffaella Zammit, one of the originators of the project and executive director of the Gabriel Caruana Foundation, talks Adam Brimmer through the process.

How and when was the idea for Nimxu Mixja born and what was the purpose behind it?

The concept was sparked off by a conversation between creative practitioners Kristina Borg and myself. We were talking about how walking is not only a means of transport but also an artistic practice, a process to connect with your surroundings.

Having the Gabriel Caruana Foundation based in Birkirkara, it seemed natural to develop a project with the community of the surrounding area. We wanted to develop this idea of walking as an artistic practice, and so approached the Birkirkara Primary School of St Theresa College, who were very enthusiastic and open to the idea of working with us. We then joined forces and developed Nimxu Mixja as a Kreattiv project, supported by Arts Council Malta.

What were the biggest challenges in translating it from paper to reality?

Walking as an artistic practice is quite an abstract concept. Unlike taking a brush and colours, we’re using walking as a tool, a process and a medium. Added to that we set ourselves the task of working with around 90 children, aged nine to 10, with the aim of walking in one of the busiest towns in Malta. So, we needed to break things down a little bit, but also ensure that the artistic concept was not compromised.

How important is it to combine the idea of physical exercise and art for children?

The overlooked act of walking was used to connect with our surroundings. The children were encouraged to observe their environment during every walk, we emphasised the use of our senses, what we could hear; did it differ from area to area, and why so? The physical act of walking coupled with the critical analysis of their surroundings and different creative tools such as poetry writing, photography and drawing enabled discussion and fuelled their creativity.

The children were encouraged to observe their environment during every walk

How did the children react to the initiative? And the parents?

Part of the process was to introduce the project to parents first. We wanted to ensure that the parents were aware of the process, the safety measures undertaken and introduce ourselves. We also made sure we had an introductory session with the students at school prior to our walks, most were keen to go out and explore. Over the six months we worked with the students, they would always be looking forward to the walk and also the post-walk session at school, where we would go over the walk, discuss ideas then develop a creative work, from poems, to drawings to envisioning a future Birkirkara.

Which areas of Birkirkara were explored?

The walks started off from the school, which is close to Naxxar Road, and each walk had a theme attached to it, since we wanted to also refer to the students’ curriculum. We practically covered a one-kilometre radius from the school in all directions, we encountered heritage places, secret and abandoned spaces, green areas, quiet alleys and busy streets.

How many children took part?

The project involved 90 Year 5 pupils of the Birkirkara primary school, supported by the four class teachers and eight Learning Support Educators, as well as the assistant head Mariella Zikic, who doubled as project coordinator.

Were there any highlights from these walks? Any discoveries that were special for the children?

Many to choose from, the secret garden was one of the highlights. We were greeted by the Jesuit Community at St Aloysius College, who welcomed us in their orchard, a haven in Birkirkara. The students also got to do some lemon picking which they enjoyed. The smell of the lemons, trees, soil, the quiet and fresh air left quite an impression, and was mentioned several times during class.

They also enjoyed walking along the alleys in the older part of Birkirkara where a friendly baker gifted us with some delicious pastries and their imagination was unleashed when peeking through a gate overlooking a scrapyard. We were also impressed by the mapping and orientation skills, as well as the awareness and insightful comments of some of the students.

The visit to The Mill was also appreciated, and we promised the kids at the beginning of the project that they would become artists by the end of Nimxu Mixja.

What can you tell us about the resulting exhibition?

We wanted the project to mainly focus on the process and hence most of the time was spent on walking and the post-walk sessions. However, we also wanted to present and share the work and so we made sure to include an exhibition at The Mill as part of the Gabriel Caruana Foundation’s artistic programme, from June 2 until the 14th.

Since we like a challenge, we also organised a final community walk last Sunday, which included street activities and the launch of the exhibition showing works developed during the process. We’re thankful for the support of the school, the Birkirkara local council, the Jesuit Community, the Daily Fresh Bakery & Confectionery and the Malta Railway Foundation.

Will this be a recurring project? And are there any plans to extend this to other schools?

We’ve received positive feedback both from the Birkirkara primary school and others. We hope we can continue working on this project in different localities.