We live in a country that is ever-changing, somewhat without a clear direction or understanding of our own national identity.
Te fit-Tazza is all about the understanding, documentation, and quantification of the Maltese aesthetic and identity. By questioning what the Maltese aesthetic & identity really is, they hope to create awareness and deeper understanding and even perhaps, love, for the regional identity that can be understood by all.
Te fit-Tazza: The Origin Story
Te fit- Tazza was co-founded by Craig Macdonald and Andre Farrugia. It was launched the in 2016, with an exhibition displaying 30 works. During 2017, they released a total of 3 new collections, ending the year with a month-long solo exhibition at the Splendid in Valletta.
In 2018 Simon Buhagiar also joined as a partner of the studio. Simon is the current Commercial Director who takes care of all facets related to operations and commerce. Craig is the Artist behind the prints and also the Creative Director for both the studio and the ‘Souvenirs That Don’t Suck’ brand which they acquired that year.
The ‘Souvenirs That Don’t Suck’ brand, allowed them to diversify their offering, and not limit themselves only to prints. This year in July, they opened a second retail space in St John’s Square in Valletta for ‘Souvenirs That Don’t Suck’ which also has a community space for Te fit-Tazza. The purpose of the community space is as its’ name implies. It is a space where members of the community can work, research, discuss, or even just visit for a chat.
Works in Progress
On the back of opening the retail and community space in the heart of Valletta, Te fit-Tazza released the second part of their collaboration with MaltaDoors, featuring 3 new prints very recently.
They are currently working on a larger collection which will be released very soon, featuring the celebration of some prominent local architecture. Some other work they’ve released this year includes a collaboration with Maltatype, celebrating the local restaurant ‘Noni’ as well as an illustration done for the Gabriel Caruana Foundation as part of an open call celebrating the Mill in which Gabriel Caruana himself used to work.
What does the future hold for Te fit-Tazza?
They plan to carry on studying, researching, and exploring the make-up of the Maltese identity and aesthetic, with a view to keep on educating themselves and those around them about the local identity and the risk of it being lost. Although they have many ideas for the future, they have all got an air of confidentiality. So, only time will tell!