LonKirkop

Kirkop was born in Malta in 1991, and named Marlon Chircop. He studied at MCAST graduating with a B.A. in Fine Arts in 2017. He then went on to do an M.A. in Printmaking with the Cambridge School of Arts (UK), in 2022. In 2018 Kirkop hosted his first solo exhibition. He often collaborates with other visual artists, and in 2022 he was one of the selected artists for the Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair. Kirkop’s playwright debut was during the Cospicua Short Play Festival in 2019 – where he presented three plays: Fil-Ħajja li Jmiss (In the Next Life), Limbu (Limbo), and Elektra, for which he won best script writing.

Kirkop won the Maltese song contest L-Għanja tal-Poplu as composer and lyricist for the song ‘Fil-Kexxun’ (In the Drawer). Kirkop also won the Literary Contest of Novels for Youth in 2020, for Mitt Elf Isem Ieħor: Happy Vegan Girl Jules (A Hundred Thousand Other Names: Happy Vegan Girl Jules), organised by the National Book Council and Aġenzija Żgħażagħ, and published by Merlin Publishers the following year. This novel was inspired by his niece and the perceived need of her generation to be famous, to be seen – especially as a result of the influence of social media. The protagonists are in a dialogue of action and reaction, in which one is influenced by the “famous” other, ultimately being transformed by her, into her. In the end they are exposed to be the same person. This work makes us question the importance given to the material in our lives, and the effect social media platforms are having on our youth.

Kirkop was awarded the National Book Prize in drama for Fil-Ħajja li Jmiss u Drammi Oħra tat-Triq (In the Next Life and Other Street Plays) (2022), and Best Emerging Author in 2023. This is an anthology of five street plays, depicting different and often difficult social elements, such as love, exploitation, and drag queens – all inspired by his life and the events happening in society. Here we see that the connection between characters is important for Kirkop, who often draws inspiration from reality and events occurring in today’s world and imaginatively connects stories together. For example, ‘Fil-Ħajja li Jmiss’ sees two lovers sharing their last meal, which is something they have done in past lives as Adam and Eve, or as Anthony and Cleopatra.

In 2025 he published Is-Sajf mhux għat-Tfal (Summer is not for Kids), which is a collection of short stories, all based or influenced by the summer months. They focus on the nature of sensuality, as Kirkop explores different perspectives on sex and sexuality, and the connective and creative force that is sensuality. There is a thread that connects his characters, but also connects all of us as readers and writers of our own stories. In Kirkop’s work the story is not necessarily the main focus; it is the characters and their evolution that matter most. In many ways it is about exploring what makes us human and authentic, and putting that into words.