The Fgura Local Council has launched the sixth edition of Ħiliet il-Fgurin (Fgura Talents), shining a spotlight this year on the life and work of local artist and designer Vincent Borg – a man whose creative vision and community spirit have left a lasting mark on the town. The exhibition runs until 1 November.
At 76, Borg’s story is one of dedication – to art, education, and inclusion. Born and raised in Valletta, Borg moved to Fgura in 1973 after his marriage. His career began at the Malta Drydocks, where he completed his apprenticeship before becoming a technical design teacher in secondary schools and later working in vocational education.
In 1993, Borg played a pioneering role in launching Malta’s first Supported Employment programme through the newly-founded Eden Foundation. The initiative opened doors for young people with intellectual disabilities to join the workforce – a cause he continued to champion during his later years within the Ministries of Education and Social Policy.
In recognition of his decades-long service to both education and social inclusion, the Fgura Local Council honoured him in 2020 with Ħajr il-Fgura award.
Borg’s contribution to the community, however, goes beyond social work. His artistic and technical talents are immortalised in the decorative glasswork of the Fgura parish church – a project to which he devoted countless voluntary hours. He not only designed the colourful geometric glass panels but also engineered the steel structure that supports them, overseeing the importation and installation of the materials himself.
While still teaching, Borg nurtured a passion for graphic design and contributed to the parish newsletter Leħen il-Fgura. It was through this connection that then-parish priest Fr Guido Micallef O.Carm. invited him to design the church’s glass panels – work that would later define his artistic journey.
Approaching retirement, Borg returned to formal study at the School of Art in Valletta, earning a Diploma in Fine Arts at the age of 69. Deeply inspired by the early 20th century Russian movements of Suprematism and Constructivism, he embraced Geometric Abstraction – a style that now characterises his body of work. His art blends the precision of geometry with the emotional depth of abstraction, often using industrial materials such as steel and glass.
The Ħiliet il-Fgurin exhibition presents, for the first time, Borg’s original sketches and preliminary designs for the church’s glasswork – drawn more than 40 years ago. Visitors can trace how his early concepts evolved into the final, simplified compositions that now illuminate the church interior. The works reflect not only his mastery of form and colour but also the symbolic reverence befitting a sacred space.
Also on display is a selection of Borg’s artworks from the past decade, which reveal his continuing fascination with geometric structure and unpainted surfaces. Each piece invites viewers to engage their imagination – a hallmark, he believes, of true abstract art. “The beauty of abstraction,” Borg often says, “is that it allows every viewer to discover their own story.”
Through this latest edition of Ħiliet il-Fgurin, the Fgura Local Council celebrates not only an artist but also a teacher, innovator, and community builder whose life and work have helped shape the town’s cultural identity.
