Following an international call for applications which received applications from over 110 curators from 48 different countries, the Malta Biennale Foundation has announced the selection of Rosa Martínez as Artistic Director for the third edition of the Biennale. This marks the second time the renowned curator will serve in this role, following her tenure for the lauded Malta Biennale 2026.
Once again, Rosa Martínez brings with her years of curatorial and artistic expertise. In 2005, she served as the Artistic Director of the Venice Biennale — the first female curator in the history of that event with the exhibition ‘Always a Little Further’ at the Arsenale.
Rosa Martínez has also served as Artistic Director and Curator for biennales in Barcelona (1988–1992), Rotterdam (1996), Istanbul (1997), Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA (1999), Busan, South Korea (2000), São Paulo (2006), and Moscow (2005–2007). She also served as Chief Curator at the Istanbul Museum of Modern Art between 2004 and 2007, and has organized a number of significant exhibitions for institutions such as the Guggenheim Bilbao (2007), the Museo Nacional de Escultura in Valladolid, Spain (2015), the Centro Cultural Metropolitano in Quito, Ecuador (2017) and the Picasso Museum in Barcelona (2019), among others.
Locally, in addition to overseeing the artistic direction of the second edition of the Malta Biennale, she also curated the Constellation Malta project in 2018, during Valletta’s tenure as the European Capital of Culture. In 2022, she curated the solo exhibition LE.IVA by Maltese artist Austin Camilleri at Spazju Kreattiv.
“I am delighted to have the opportunity to contribute to the consolidation of the Malta Biennale as a relevant artistic platform. Sharing my experience and curatorial vision to foster meaningful dialogues between innovative aesthetic trends, contemporary thought, and the fascinating cultural heritage of the Maltese archipelago is both a pleasure and a challenge. I look forward to continue exploring and expanding the transformative power of art from this unique, complex and radiant epicenter of the Mediterranean.”
Following Rosa Martínez’s appointment, the next step will be the development of the Biennale’s curatorial theme and the selection of the historical sites that will host the event. This will be followed by calls for artists and pavilions, and activities related to the Biennale.
The third edition of the Malta Biennale will take place between March and May 2028, across various historical sites and museums managed by Heritage Malta throughout Malta and Gozo.
Verzjoni bil-Malti
Rosa Martínez tirritorna bħala Direttriċi Artistika għall-Malta Biennale 2028
Wara sejħa internazzjonali li ġibdet l-attenzjoni ta’ iktar minn 110 kuratur minn 48 pajjiż differenti, il-Fondazzjoni għall-Malta Biennale ħabbret l-għażla ta’ Rosa Martínez bħala Direttriċi Artistika tat-tielet edizzjoni tal-istess Biennale. Din hija t-tieni darba li l-kuratriċi internazzjonali rinomata ser tkun qed isservi f’dan l-irwol, wara s-suċċess tal-Malta Biennale 2026.
Għal darb’ oħra Rosa Martínez qed iġġib magħha snin ta’ esperjenza kuratorjali u artistiċi. Fl-2005, Martínez kienet id-Direttriċi Artistika tal-Biennale tal-Arti ta’ Venezja – l-ewwel kuratriċi mara fl-istorja ta’ dan il-Biennale bil-wirja ‘Always a Little Further’ ġewwa l-Arsenale.
Rosa Martínez kienet ukoll Direttriċi Artistika u Kuratriċi ta’ biennali f’Barċellona (1988–1992), Rotterdam (1996), Istanbul (1997), Santa Fe, New Mexico, l-Istati Uniti (1999), Busan, fil-Korea (2000), São Paulo (2006) u Moska (2005–2007). Hija kienet ukoll il-Kap Kuratriċi tal-Mużew tal-Arti Moderna f’Istanbul bejn l-2004 u l-2007, u organizzat numru ta’ wirjiet importanti, fosthom għal istituzzjonijiet bħall-Guggenheim ta’ Bilbao (2007), fil-Museo Nacional de Escultura f’Valladolid, Spanja (2015), fiċ-Ċentro Cultural Metropolitano fl-Ekwador (2017) u fil-Mużew ta’ Picasso f’Barċellona (2019), fost oħrajn.
Lokalment, minbarra d-direzzjoni artistika tat-tieni edizzjoni tal-Malta Biennale, hija kienet ukoll il-kuratriċi tal-proġett Constellation Malta fl-2018, waqt li l-Belt Valletta kellha t-titlu ta’ Belt Kapitali Kulturali Ewropea. Fl-2022 hija kkurat ukoll il-wirja LE.IVA, tal-artist Malti Austin Camilleri, fi Spazju Kreattiv.
“Huwa ta’ pjaċir kbir għalija li għandi l-opportunità li nikkontribwixxi għat-tisħiħ tal-Malta Biennale bħala pjattaforma artistika rilevanti. Huwa pjaċir iżda wkoll sfida li naqsam l-esperjenza u l-viżjoni kuratorjali tiegħi biex inrawwem djalogi sinifikanti bejn xejriet estetiċi innovattivi, il-ħsieb kontemporanju, u l-wirt kulturali affaxxinanti tal-arċipelagu Malti. Ħerqana li nkompli nesplora u nespandi l-qawwa trasformattiva tal-arti minn dan l-epiċentru uniku, kumpless u radjanti tal-Mediterran.”
Wara l-ħatra ta’ Rosa Martínez, il-pass li jmiss huwa l-għażla tat-tema kuratorjali tal-Biennale, u s-siti storiċi li ser jospitaw il-Biennale. Sussegwentement joħorġu s-sejħiet internazzjonali għall-artisti, padiljuni, u attivitajiet relatati mal-Biennale.
It-tielet edizzjoni tal-Malta Biennale se ssir bejn Marzu u Mejju tal-2028, f’diversi siti storiċi u mużewijiet immexxija minn Heritage Malta madwar Malta u Għawdex.
