Tony Briffa

Tony Briffa studied ceramics in the late seventies, obtaining a diploma with distinction from Tarġa Gap School for Crafts. After nearly ten years working in the ceramic industry, he was appointed to teach at the same studio.
Since the early eighties, Briffa has exhibited in numerous national and international juried exhibitions, drawing the attention of art critics and collectors alike. Along with his ceramic work, he has also been involved in theatre, both as an actor and designer. He has designed sets, costumes, and props for major productions by playwrights such as Aristophanes, Molière, Neil Simon, and Peter Shaffer.
In 1995, he was awarded the Commonwealth Foundation Fellowship in Art and Crafts, which he later pursued as a Visiting Scholar at the Centre for the Arts, Hobart, University of Tasmania. While in Australia, he attended the international ceramic Clay Sculpture Symposium at Gulgong.
In 2002, Briffa moved to Tåsinge in Denmark, where he now lives and works. He was awarded the Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant in 2015 as well as grants from the Malta Arts Council in 2016 and 2018 for projects with his sculptures.
Tony Briffa's work blends the cultural influences of his native Malta with his adopted Scandinavian environment. His creative approach is distinguished by the use of vibrant glazes applied on minimalist sculptures. Over the years, Briffa has drawn inspiration from a diverse range of sources, both natural and human-made and this has led him to develop the distinctive visual language that he is now known for.
With over forty years of experience working with clay, his recent focus has been on transforming memories into three-dimensional sculptures.