Some lives are vivid, painted in bold strokes and colours that leave an indelible mark on those they touch. For renowned Maltese artist, Mark Mallia (1965-2024), art wasn’t just something he created; it was something he lived. But beyond the artist, he was a philanthropist. His heart beat in time with the SiGMA Foundation’s mission. This foundation is a great way to remember how much he cared about helping people. Through the memories of his friend and creative partner, Etienne Farrell, Mark’s story unfolds with laughter, tears, and an unmistakable sense of pride.

The man behind the art with a heart of gold

“”On the inside, he was just a marshmallow”
ETIENNE FARRELL

“The person was the artist and vice versa,” Etienne begins, her eyes brightening with a mix of amusement and affection. She laughs, shaking her head. “Mark could be very flamboyant at times, and he loved to show-off.” But behind the performance, there was a deeply empathetic man. “He used to feel a lot. Not that he didn’t care. It was that he portrayed this image. I am sure that it was to protect himself. But on the inside, he was just a marshmallow.”

One of their last collaborations on the Sliema front, where they set up two enormous tables next to each other, brings a smile to her face. “One was on the inside of the pavement and one on the outside,” she explains. “He said, ‘choose whichever one you want.’ I told him, ‘With you being the show-off, you’re gonna be the closest to the people as possible.’ And there he was, with his blower and torch, everything in flames, showing off, really happy.”

Etienne recalls Mark’s generosity and involvement with various causes. “He worked a lot with , for example.” Etienne recounts how she has found it hard to carry on with the exhibitions and projects they were planning, with one exception. “We were planning to exhibit with proceeds going to Kate, a Maltese five-year-old girl, who suffers from Tatton Brown Rahman Syndrome, an extremely rare condition. There are around 250 people around the globe who have her condition. That is the only exhibition that I kept…. We have this exhibition for Kate in December.”

While he often portrayed a tough exterior, those who truly knew him understood that his heart was vast and giving. For a moment, her smile fades. “People thought he didn’t care, but it was totally the opposite. He’d just put up this wall, you know.” Her voice catches, and the smile returns. “Mark was very empathetic and cried because things happened, even to his friends. He used to feel a lot.” Mark’s generosity knew no bounds. He welcomed homeless people into his home, offering them food, clothes, money, and even cared for the stray cats outside.

Mark’s dedication to the SiGMA Foundation

Mark’s contributions to the SiGMA Foundation were more than just acts of charity. They were extensions of himself. As much as Mark’s art filled galleries, his generosity filled hearts, especially through the SiGMA Foundation’s projects. The foundation, dedicated to supporting vulnerable communities, channels his legacy with each initiative it undertakes.

Etienne’s pride is unmistakable as she talks about his work with SiGMA, specifically the auction where he donated his pieces to raise funds for various causes. “He was very, very fond of SiGMA,” she says warmly. “He always talked about it, always. Every few months, he’d mention the auction, how much it had meant to him, how much good it was doing. He was so proud.”

One of her fondest memories is of Mark, fully in his element, at a SiGMA Foundation auction. “He was like, ‘yeah, I’m gonna go up on stage,’” she recalls with a smile, remembering how he relished the chance to talk about his work in front of the crowd. He was asking people to bid for his work for a good cause.

“Mark was this person. You couldn’t ignore him. As soon as he came in, you would notice him. And he was a person who you had to notice. You had to either love him or hate him. No, in-between.”

Through the SiGMA Foundation, Mark channelled his empathy into a tangible impact. His goal was simple: to help people. Etienne adds, “If it was for charity, he was in. That’s all he needed to know.”

Mark’s spirit resonated with the SiGMA Foundation’s mission to uplift communities, not just through funds, but through education and empowerment. His art, auctioned and cherished by others, became a lifeline for people he’d never even met. To Mark, that was what mattered.

A bond beyond words

Mark and Etienne’s connection went beyond friendship. It was, in her words, “very spiritual.” Laughing through her tears, Etienne recounts their uncanny creative synchronicity. “He tells me, ‘Yeah, I want to do a fish.’ I say, ‘yes, I want to do a fish as well,’” she recalls with a fond smile. “We debated whose idea it was. We used to send messages to each other like ‘get out of my head.’”

Their bond was a shared vision that extended to how they presented themselves at exhibitions. “We used to create a whole world around exhibitions,” she explains. “We would become something else. For example, he could be Jesus Christ, and I could be the Virgin Mary, or we could be freaks.”

Her eyes glow as she remembers one exhibition in particular: “I pushed him a lot to do this solo exhibition. He called me once and told me, ‘You know, I want you to turn me into this person. Both female and male heads.’ I told him to leave it up to me. He was wearing this black suit with makeup on and black nail polish and one laced glove. And a mask and pearls and it’s true, everyone was loving him, and he was like this super god entering there. There was his art, and he painted in front of his guests, and it was really good. I really enjoyed it. It was really cool – he was like ‘The Boss!’” She added, “He is my favourite model.”

Their collaborations were spiritual, in a way, and that same energy spilled into the work he did with SiGMA. Just as they created whole worlds through their art, Mark believed in creating opportunities for others through his philanthropy. The SiGMA Foundation became another canvas, one where he painted with the colours of compassion and connection.

Where creativity finds sanctuary

Our conversation shifted to Mark’s approach to creating art—a process as fluid as his imagination and as varied as the materials he used. “For each idea, you have to treat each idea according to what the idea is,” Etienne explains, capturing the adaptable spirit with which Mark approached his work. “Sometimes it’s the method; we use clay, we sculpt, we use acrylics, sometimes we used moulds, so it’s always different. Sometimes we do photography, sometimes videography, so it’s like it depends on the idea.” Each piece took on its own unique life, shaped by whatever medium best suited the vision.

Etienne’s memories of their studios reveal the settings that nurtured this creativity. Their ‘public’ studio, set in the heart of a village in front of a church, was a place full of life and bustling energy. Its doors were open to curious passersby who would often wander in, drawn by the sight of something new and intriguing. Etienne laughs, recalling a local who once mistook her tiny clay sculptures for pastizzi. In this lively, unpredictable space, Mark thrived on the mix of interactions and shared curiosity.

Yet, beyond this bustling workshop, there was another studio. A quieter, more intimate retreat they called their “safe place.” Unlike the village studio, this second space offered seclusion and peace, a sanctuary where they could work with complete focus, free from interruption. It was here, within these walls, that they would spend long hours together, often working side by side in a comfortable, meaningful silence. 

The space held a kind of healing energy for them both. Etienne recalls that, whenever they’d come in with headaches, the tension would lift, replaced by a sense of calm and clarity. “We’d just feel better here,” she reflects. Mark himself would say, “I feel so safe here.”

It was in this setting of comfort and safety that their connection often felt most profound. Following his passing, Etienne kept their safe place studio as a tribute to their shared vision. “For now, I can’t do it without Mark,” she admits softly. “I used to do solo exhibitions, but he was always there, and he always gave me ideas. He always supported me. We used to spend very long hours together—12-15 hours per day working together. Without uttering a single word sometimes.”

In this sacred space, the air still feels charged with the countless creative hours, the unspoken bond between them lingering like an unseen presence. Here, even silence held its own language. A reminder of the world they built together, and a peace that lingers on.

A tribute to a good soul

When asked what she would say if she had to sum up Mark in one phrase, Etienne’s voice softens. ‘He was a good soul,’ she says, with that same bittersweet smile. “He didn’t care about grudges or material things. Mark loved thrift shops and rarely bought new clothes. If something cost twenty euros, he’d give them thirty. That’s just who he was.”

Etienne pauses, looking thoughtful. “If he had a last word on his legacy, I think he’d want people to remember him as someone who gave. He gave his art. His time. His heart.” Her eyes glisten, and she adds quietly, “If I had to say anything,” she reiterated, “I would say he is a good soul.”

As the SiGMA Foundation moves forward, ’s memory continues to inspire. His legacy extends beyond his art displayed on gallery walls and persists in the lives he influenced, the causes he advocated for, and the foundation he had great faith in. Through his art, his philanthropy, and the SiGMA Foundation, he created a world where generosity was as important as creativity. A world where his memory will live on forever.