MUŻA, the National Community Art Museum, on behalf of Heritage Malta and Arts Council Malta, the main organizing bodies, with full cooperation of the Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade along with the Malta Tourism Authority, are launching a call for artists and art pavilions to form part of the first Malta Art Biennale.
MUŻA is inviting interested applicants to submit challenging, curious and immersive experiences which will be taking place in Malta, Europe, and available between March and May 2024.
baħar abjad imsaġar taż-żebbuġ
white sea olive groves
white sea olive groves – an imagining of an array of whites from ancient and contemporary times, shaped into a vast cradle within which civilisation relishes myriads of cultures, art, and diversity: a visual festa inspired by a process of formulating new narratives for the region.
Narratives that confront the horrendous stink of death by drowning; narratives that can defeat discourse fuelling fundamentalism and nationalism – a choral ‘hymn to the universe’, celebrating peace and harmony, defying war(s) with olive branches in hand, gleaned from the evergreen olive groves of the Mediterranean, blending with the sparkling whiteness of the seas that surround them: a provocative artistic initiative inviting a rethink of global mindsets about art and society, emanating from the deep south of the European continent.
When
Taking place between March and May 2024, Malta’s art biennale will coincide with the turn of spring, a glorious time of year that sees the Mediterranean island bloom with warm weather and extended hours of daylight.
The islands’ culturally rich festa season also gets underway as village parishes celebrate patron saints with week-long festivities that include elaborate religious ceremonies, marching band processions, masterful firework displays, and many other traditional activities. Several other popular arts and cultural events and festivals are held around Malta and Gozo at this time of year.
Where
With a long and rich history that spans all the way back to Neolithic times, the Maltese islands have been at the centre of cultural encounters within the Mediterranean since the dawn of civilisation. The Maltese identity reflects this colourful past: from the seafaring Phoenicians to the British Empire’s colonial rule, the islands are a living, breathing testament to the importance of cultural and historical heritage.
Maltabiennale.art will transform some of the islands’ most beloved historic sites and outdoors areas into stages for artistic creations and expressions.
The capital Valletta is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site that together with its neighbouring harbour cities of Birgu, Bormla, and Isla forms a treasure box of majestic palazzos, forts, churches, museums, and more. While sister island Gozo, with its emerald hills dotted with quaint villages, retains an idyllic rural charm. The organisers together with participants will seek to find imaginative ways to host new and exciting cultural encounters in some of the island’s most celebrated spaces.
Call for applications
Responses to this call are to be submitted by not later than Friday 25th August 2023, at noon CET.
Call for artists
This call is intended for both Maltese and international artists.
Call for pavilion
This call is also open to interested pavilions applying from any country or region while the curatorial teams may be composed of a mixture of curators, architects, designers, project managers and curatorial assistants.
Curatorial Team
Meet the Curatorial Team, Artistic Director and Head Curator Sofia Baldi Pighi, Deputy Artistic Director and Setup Designer Nigel Baldacchino together with curators Elisa Carollo and Emma Mattei.
