Celestial Mechanisms at designmt 2026
Celestial Mechanisms explores the relationship between two ways of understanding time: the celestial and the mechanical. Long before the development of mechanical clocks and watches, human societies looked to the movement of the Sun, Moon and stars to mark the passage of time, tracing days, lunar cycles, seasons and years through the rhythms of the sky.
The collection brings these two systems into dialogue. Vintage watch components, once engineered to divide time into precise and measurable units, are removed from their original function and reimagined as contemporary wearable objects. Alongside references to lunar phases, stars, planetary forms and orbit, these mechanisms return symbolically to the celestial rhythms from which some of our earliest understandings of time emerged.
Through reclaimed watch movements, natural stones, metal and found elements, Marcon Borg Caruana – Atelier Nineteen transforms fragments of mechanical time into objects concerned with memory, cycles and human experience. Traces of each component’s former life remain visible, yet its purpose shifts: from measuring time to carrying its memory.
Celestial Mechanisms ultimately considers time not simply as something we count, but as something we observe, experience, remember and carry with us.
That sentence “from measuring time to carrying its memory” could actually become a recurring line for the collection. It neatly joins the historical idea, the discarded watch components, and the fact that these are wearable pieces.
The collection is being exhibited as part of designMT 2026, organised by the Malta Crafts Foundation, at the historic Church of Our Lady of Pilar, 49 Triq il-Punent (West Street), Valletta.
28 September – 2 October 2026 | 10:00–20:00
3 October 2026 | 10:00–23:00 | Extended Notte Bianca hours
Free entrance
Premju Ġieħ l-Artiġjanat Malti - 2025 Submission
TEMPUS FUGIT 13 - 23 AUGUST 2020
“Tempus Fugit – Making Time Fly”
“Tempus Fugit – Making Time Fly” was more than a jewellery show—it was a curatorial meditation on time, material, and transformation. It embraced upcycling and resource-conscious practice, turning discarded watch parts into meaningful artworks that evoke temporal awareness and sustainability. The exhibition framed each piece as both artifact and narrative object, inviting viewers to reflect on how time can be both measured and remembered through materials we often overlook.
- Material & Concept
The exhibition, featured wearable art crafted from upcycled watch parts, transforming broken mechanical components into refined pieces. It plays on the pun of its title—Latin for “time flies”—by repurposing the remnants of timekeeping devices into new forms
- Narrative Structure & Themes
Conceptually, the show explores the passage of time, recycling, and memory through each piece: broken watch gears, dials, and hands were reassembled to evoke both the literal mechanics of time and the poetic notion of time “flying” or slipping away. It’s an artistic meditation on fragility and renewal.
Curatorial Strategy
- Dialogue Between Art and Object
Caruana’s pieces blur the line between functional mechanics and expressive jewellery. As curated objects, they invite viewers to reflect on how everyday detritus—when reimagined—can carry symbolic meaning as well as aesthetic value.
- Chronological Flow
Rather than a strictly temporal layout, the exhibition likely progressed through conceptual phases—from close-to-original mechanical assemblages to increasingly abstract reworkings. This gradual abstraction framed the idea of transformation, both in physical form and in interpretation of time.
- Visitor Engagement
Through detailed labels and photography, visitors could trace the original watch components and appreciate the creative thought behind their reassembly. The exhibition thus served as both a design showcase and a conceptual exploration of reuse.
Sustainability Dimension
- Recycling & Upcycling
Central to the exhibition was the ethos of upcycling. Pre‑existing watch parts, deemed waste or beyond repair, were not discarded but elevated into wearable artworks. This aligns with contemporary sustainable practice: creative reuse that extends material lifespan and reduces waste.
- Resource Efficiency & Ethical Practice
By relying on existing mechanical fragments instead of new metals or stones, the artist minimized resource extraction. The collection likely involved careful sourcing of vintage or discarded watch components—an eco-conscious supply strategy.
- Material Traceability
Each piece carried its mechanical ancestry visibly—gear teeth, engraved numerals, hands—making the invisible history of the parts legible. This traceability contributes to ethical consumption and fosters mindfulness about consumption habits.
Reflection
- Time’s Physicality vs Time’s Flow
The slow, precise manufacturing of watch mechanisms contrasts with the fleeting nature of minutes. By merging them into fluid jewellery forms, the exhibition proposes a nuanced dialogue between measured time and lived experience.
- From Functionality to Symbolism
The original function of the watch parts is repurposed into symbolic complexity. Gears that once powered time-moving machines now move the imagination of the wearer and viewer.
- Sustainability as Story
Sustainability is not an add-on but embedded in every facet—from provenance of materials to the transformation process—so that visitors perceive ethical reuse as integral to artistic value.
Tempus Fugit by Marcon Caruana from Atelier Nineteen Wearable Art was held in aid of
The Malta Community Chest Fund in honour of Marcon's father who benefitted from help for his cancer treatment and passed away just a month a half after the exhibition.
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Here is some coverage from the exhibition:
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