Dead Nature and No Heroes

(2019-2022)

“Not only has capitalism laid hold of pre-existing space, of the Earth, but it also tends to produce a space on its own […] by abolishing spatial and temporal differences, by destroying nature and nature’s time”. Henri Lefebvre

According to Henri Lefebvre in The Production of Space, the domination over natural and urban space is a necessary condition for survival of capitalism. What is fundamental to capitalism’s domination is not only the possession of space, but also the ability to absorb, produce, and constantly transform it. An example of this, is the Maltese real estate boom which is destroying the Maltese landscape through abusive construction, excavation of limestone material, and the urban sprawl created from the use of the material in the architecture and the development of the Maltese city.

The island of Malta has the highest population density in the EU and is inhabited by 0.5 million people living in an area of 316 square kilometres. Due to favourable taxation schemes for foreign companies and a dynamically evolving labour market, Malta has been experiencing a strong influx of inhabitants coming from abroad. In the last decade, the population of Malta rose almost by a quarter, while the share of non-Maltese residents jumped from 5% to 20%. In the same period, the number of dwelling permits issued yearly increased by 2.5 times.

The resulting construction boom has been significantly transforming the natural and urban landscape of the country. The percentage of the Maltese land covered by artificial surfaces is equal to 28%, which corresponds to more than six times the EU average. For comparison, in a country geographically similar to Malta – Cyprus – the figure amounts to 6%.

The Maltese real estate boom is extensively fuelled by limestone, the only natural resource available in Malta, with more than 50 active limestone quarries. Locally extracted limestone is used to produce concrete, a material posing enormous danger to the Maltese ecosystem. The subsequent increase in noise, vibration, lime dust and the destruction of the ecology in the quarried areas is unprecedented and continues to make the living conditions in these areas unbearable.

Still, Malta remains a popular holiday destination for tourists, offering 300 sunny days per year together with breathtaking landscapes, sandy beaches, and crystal-clear waters. In its efforts to conceal the chaos of the real estate boom, the tourism industry creates a parallel reality which provides an antithesis to that of the noisy and dusty construction sites. An island which seems to be a paradise for holidaymakers turns out to be a place of struggle for those who live there. Residents are faced with environmental degradation and unaffordable housing, while construction workers have to confront with low wages and lack of health and safety at the workplace.

At the same time, Malta is a place rich in cultural heritage with numerous ancient temples dating back to 5000-3000 BC. If the ruins of today are excavated in the future, they will only serve as a testimony of our environmental barbarism.