FiftySix Design Talks: Augmenting Identity

Identity is never fixed. It shifts, adapts, and transforms, shaped by the choices we make and the ways we present ourselves to the world. In our next FiftySix Design Talk, Augmenting Identity, we’ll explore how design influences self-expression—whether through tattoos that imprint personal stories onto skin or the visual spectacle of drag that reinvents identity in real-time. How does design make identity more tangible, more fluid, or more powerful? Through this discussion, we’ll look at the creative decisions, cultural influences, and evolving aesthetics that shape how we mark, mask, and manifest who we are.

Thomas Cauchi

Thomas Cauchi: Tattooing as a Narrative Medium

Thomas Cauchi is a fine-line, black-and-grey tattoo artist who has spent the past seven years honing his craft. His journey started five years earlier with pencil drawings that naturally evolved into inked compositions on skin. Tattooing demands precision and discipline, but Thomas also immerses himself in contemporary art. He experiments, embraces failure, and finds a creative counterpoint to the exacting nature of his work. His approach allows him to push boundaries while maintaining the technical rigor required in tattooing, creating a dialogue between permanence and artistic evolution.

KLONN [Photo Credits: Kris Micallef]

Gabriel Chetcuti (aka KLONN): Drag as Wearable Art

Gabriel Chetcuti (aka KLONN) is a multidisciplinary artist who creates wearable art through drag, exploring queer identities and the space between artifice and authenticity. By pushing visual extremes and remixing cultural references, he plays with the tension between past and future. His MFA project, Cyclical Constructs, supervised by Prof. Vince Briffa, serves as the backbone of his ongoing practice. Through digital processes and costume design, he transforms historical artifacts into wearable abstractions. His work does not rewrite history but instead reinterprets it through a different lens, balancing the fantastical with the abrasively kitsch.

Join us for FiftySix Design Talks: Augmenting Identity on Wednesday, 26th March 2025, at 6:30 PM in Friggieri Hall, Valletta Design Cluster. This discussion will bring together artists and designers exploring the intersection of identity and self-expression. Through their unique perspectives, we will gain a deeper understanding of how design can shape and redefine the ways we see ourselves and others. The evening promises to be a thought-provoking exploration of how design choices influence both personal and collective identity.

Connect & Inspire:

After the talks, stay for a mingle session. Connect with fellow creatives, share ideas, and get inspired over a glass of wine in the stunning surroundings of Valletta.