An exhibition of various artistic works in lace is currently enhancing the existing heritage at Casa Rocca Piccola in Valletta. Over 90 pieces of lace, from Venetian masks to christening gowns and church-related items are on show, bringing to life the centuries-old laborious tradition for the appreciation of the visiting public.

The exhibits are all the works submitted by lace makers who participated in the second lace making competition, coordinated by Casa Rocca Piccola with the collaboration of the HSBC Cares for Malta’s Heritage Fund. The intention of the competition is to bring together and keep alive the craftsmanship from Malta’s times past which risks having to make way for faster, industrialised ways of making lace.

The exhibition was inaugurated by a prize-giving ceremony at Casa Rocca Piccola last Sunday, October 26 presided over by Lucy Weldon, wife of HSBC CEO Alan Richards. The overall winner of this year’s competition was Ersilia Grima for her bridal bouquet. Another 23 participants from Malta and Gozo were awarded for their works in different categories, which pieces in silk, cotton or linen, fine thread, hats, gloves, fans, masks and smaller items. In all, participants shared the amount of €2,500 in prizes.

The judging panel was made up of a number of experts including Consiglia Azzopardi and Margaret Farrugia. The pieces were judged on the merit of originality in design, ethnicity and tradition, technical skill, presentation, magnitude of the undertaking and quality of the item produced.

The exhibition, with all the entries submitted for the competition, runs until Friday, October 31.

One outstanding exhibit is the fine Maltese bobbin lace bag which took some 750 hours to complete. “Other works of art involve more or less the same amount of work which can only be described as breathtaking,” said Marquis Nicholas De Piro who runs Casa Rocca Piccola.

“The level of work exhibited is outstanding and indicative of the remarkable skill which goes way back in time and has been perfected over the years,” said Mr Richards. “This is true heritage which Malta very rightly should be proud of and which HSBC gladly supports to keep blood running through its veins.”