Maypole Marks 125 Years With Stunning Public Art Installation On Sliema Seafront

Maypole is celebrating a major milestone, 125 years of continuous operation, and rather than just looking back, the company decided to give something meaningful back to the community that has supported…

Maypole is celebrating a major milestone, 125 years of continuous operation, and rather than just looking back, the company decided to give something meaningful back to the community that has supported it through generations.

The celebration took the form of a public art installation along the Sliema promenade, unveiled on the morning of Tuesday 17th December. The event welcomed invited guests, members of the public, and local authorities, with the Maypole directors Mario, James and Sebastian Debono, and CEO Reuben Debono leading the inauguration under the patronage of Sliema Mayor John Pillow.

The installation reflects Maypole’s enduring connection with the communities it has served, while also enhancing the cultural and artistic fabric of the promenade, a spot beloved by locals and visitors alike for leisure, reflection, and connection with the sea.

Mayor Pillow praised the initiative, highlighting the importance of collaboration between private enterprises and local councils in creating shared spaces and a sense of community identity. The event concluded with the unveiling of a commemorative plaque by the Mayor alongside the Maypole directors.

The sculpture, titled Żiffa (breeze), is a striking tribute to 125 years of heritage and craftsmanship. Created entirely from recycled construction metal, it embodies the idea of transformation, turning what might be regarded as waste into something meaningful and reflective. At the heart of the piece is a child figure made from roughly five kilograms of individual construction nails, meticulously welded by the artist Wallace Falzon.

The choice of material also nods to Sliema’s ongoing construction activity, repurposing elements of the town’s contemporary experience into art. Conceptually, Żiffa invites viewers to reflect on the balance between work and life, and the simple joys of engaging with the surrounding sea.

Falzon explained that the child, grasping a rope behind a sail, symbolises life’s rapid journey, movement, and momentum, while the sculpture as a whole encourages viewers to pause and contemplate what truly matters. Positioned against the open sea, Żiffa is a quiet invitation to slow down, reflect, and reconnect.

Through this installation, Maypole has turned an anniversary into a lasting cultural legacy, honouring its past, acknowledging present realities, and sending a thoughtful message to all who pass by the Sliema promenade.

A creative celebration of heritage, community, and reflection, just what 125 years deserves.

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