MatthewSchembri

He was born in Ħ’Attard in 1993. Schembri studied Fine Arts and Maltese at the University of Malta between 2011 and 2020. His first collective art exhibition was held at the University of Malta in 2011. Being part of the ‘Taħżiż’ creative writing programme between 2014 and 2015, organized by l-Għaqda tal-Malti — Università and Aġenzija Żgħażagħ, wasa pivotal point from which his writing really took off. From 2014 his poems and short stories were published in the Għaqda tal-Malti — Università annual magazine Leħen il-Malti.

Schembri won first prize at the art competition ‘Divergent Thinkers 04’ (2015), for his installation Social Kitchen; as well as ‘Shifting Contexts’ (2019), for the installation Xandelier. Schembri’s first solo exhibition, WiN, was held at Spazju Kreattiv in 2018, having been named The Young Artist of the Year by the Malta Arts Council in 2017. In WiN Schembri merged the private with the collective, as he displayed closed boxes filled with a precious item belonging to his late mother. He regularly takes part in group exhibitions, both in Malta and abroad. As part of his second exhibition, he also published his first collection of poems – Ħassartek (I Erased You) (2021) – for which he was named Best Emerging Author by the Malta National Book Council in 2022. Erasure comes with the fusion of literature and poetry – the former being the adding on, the increasing force, whilst poetry is felt to be that which sheds, that which removes. This collection is made up of 231 erasure poems – an erasure of his novel.

In 2016 he won The Literary Contest of Novels for Youth with his first novel, Stessi (Selfies), which was published in 2018. The story revolves around a teenager and his fascination with his uncle’s camera, which he has received as a present. The camera proves to be more than it seems, popping up and taking selfies of its own accord – revealing a boy very different to who Sven actually is.  Schembri’s short story da’ kollu għax (all this because) was chosen as one of the best ten short stories in the writing contest organised by IEMed and the Anna Lindh Foundation in 2022.

Ta’ Taħt Fuq: Il-Missjoni tal-Monstru (Topsy Turvy: The Monster’s Mission) (2025) is the first of four fantasy books for young adults which has just been published. It is a personal allegory on cancer and its four stages. Inspired by works such as Harry Potter and Stranger Things, it is definitely a series to look out for! Some of Schembri’s work has been or is being translated into English, French, Croatian and Arabic.

Schembri is working on several new projects, including poetry and prose for children, young adults and a short story collection for adults to be published in 2026, along with various art projects too. He continues to weave in the mundane with the fantastical, the desire for both more and less – ultimately the lessons to be learnt and the joys from a little bit of everything in life.