The inaugural edition of maltabiennale.art 2024 officially opened, inviting the art lovers the world over to come to Malta and join in this rich and diverse celebration of contemporary art and heritage running until May 31, 2024.
Bringing together over 100 acclaimed international and local artists, the biennale will unfold across 20 esteemed heritage sites in Malta and Gozo, promising a tapestry of unique artistic visions, where each painting, sculpture, video installation, and more is set to breathe new life into these historically significant locations.
The central theme of maltabiennale.art “white sea olive groves” will play out within the biennale’s Main Pavilion, an artistic exploration that comes to life across many locations and through four intertwined sub-themes:
Can You Sea?: The Mediterranean as a Political Body; The Counterpower of Piracy; Decolonising Malta: Polyphony Is Us; and The Matri-archive of the Mediterranean.
Each sub-theme provides a canvas for diverse perspectives, all of which collectively strive to challenge preconceptions about the role of art in society, explore how contemporary art can shed new light on our heritage, and offer new perspectives into Maltese and Mediterranean identity. The Main Pavillion’s carefully curated journey sees artworks which both contrast with and complement one another, creating a multi-spectrum experience for visitors that is as thought-provoking as it is emotionally engaging.
As part of the Main Pavilion, international artists such as Cecilia Vicuña, Ibrahim Mahama, Pedro Reyes, Republic of Suez Canal, and Tania Bruguera, alongside notable Maltese talents like Austin Camilleri, Raphael Vella, Aaron Bezzina, and Anna Calleja, will showcase their exhibits in iconic locations. Running in parallel to the Main Pavillion are several national and thematic pavilions, each focusing on specific themes that showcase the ethnologically diverse expressions of artists hailing from various corners of the globe, including China, Ukraine, Italy, Spain, and Poland.
In Valletta, artworks grace the Grand Master’s Palace, MUZA, the National Museum of Archaeology, Tal-Pilar church, Main Guard, National Library, Fort St. Elmo, Underground Valletta, and Auberge d’Aragon. The Three Cities host exhibits at Dock 1, The Armoury, Fort St. Angelo, the Inquisitor’s Palace, and Villa Portelli in Kalkara. Gozo features installations in various sites within The Citadella, including Gozo Cultural Centre and the Grain Silos, as well as at Ġgantija temples.
In addition to these exhibitions of contemporary visual art, maltabiennale.art also presents a vastly diverse program featuring over 100 curatorial and endorsed events, taking place each week until May 31, 2024. Spanning theatrical performances, insightful art films, informative lectures, interactive workshops, and family-friendly activities for kids, this varied program invites audiences and artists alike to immerse themselves in an extended celebration of arts and culture in all their glorious forms and expressions across Malta and Gozo. Among the highlight events from Public Cultural Organisations, which have been officially endorsed by maltabiennale.art are Toi Toi’s annual Easter concert A Dream’s A Wish at Teatru Manoel; ZfinMalta performances Dances for Gozo and Geographers of Solitude; the biographical show L-Għanja li Ħadd Ma Jsikket: Ray Mahoney; and this year’s edition of the Malta Spring Festival.
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For the full schedule of exhibitions, events, artists’ details, and locations, visit the official website and become a part of this extraordinary arts and culture experience. The journey begins at maltabiennale.art.
About maltabiennale.art
maltabiennale.art is a Heritage Malta initiative through MUŻA, the Malta National Community Art Museum, in partnership with Arts Council Malta. maltabiennale.art is also presented in cooperation with the Ministries for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade, National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government, and Gozo, as well as with Visit Malta, Malta Libraries, MCAST, Festivals Malta, Valletta Cultural Agency and Spazju Kreattiv. With the participation of Malta School of Art, AUM, ŻfinMalta, KorMalta, Teatru Manoel, Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, Franco La Cecla, IULM University, Milan, Department of Humanities Studies, Faculty of Arts and Tourism, Underwater Department Heritage Malta, Archaeological Department Heritage Malta and Maritime Museum Heritage Malta.
About Malta
Malta and its sister islands Gozo and Comino, an archipelago in the Mediterranean, boasts a year round sunny climate and 8,000 years of intriguing history. It is home to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Valletta, Malta’s Capital, built by the proud Knights of St. John. Malta has the oldest free-standing stone architecture in the world, showcasing one of the British Empire’s most formidable defense systems, and includes a rich mix of domestic, religious and military structures from the ancient, medieval and early modern periods. Rich in culture, Malta has a year-round calendar of events and festivals, attractive beaches, yachting, trendy gastronomical scene with 6 Michelin-starred restaurants and a thriving nightlife, there is something for everyone.
For more information on Malta, please visit www.VisitMalta.com.
