Malta launches first biennial with 11 national pavilions

Malta is hosting the inaugural edition of Maltabiennale.art, directed by Sofia Baldi Pighi. The biennial, organized by Heritage Malta in partnership with UNESCO, features a Central Pavilion and 11 National Thematic Pavilions (China, Franco-German, Italy, Malta, Palestine, Poland, Serbia, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine) spread across Malta and Gozo. Curatorial team member Elisa Carollo describes it as a platform for intercultural dialogue. Concurrently, Valletta's Spazzju Kreattiv (directed by Daniel Azzopardi) presents the exhibition DREAM[of]LAND, curated by Sarah Chircop and Elyse Tonna, featuring seven local and international artists including Dasha Tsapenko and Sephora Schembri. At the Valletta Design Cluster (directed by Joanne Attard Mallia), Andrea Ferrero shows large-scale chocolate sculptures. A collaboration between Arcangelo Sassolino and Keith Sciberras continues with Diplomazija Astuta. The MICAS (Malta International Art Space) is set to open in autumn 2024. In April, Sassolino's solo show SCONFINAMENTI opens at the University of Malta Valletta Campus Collection. For the 60th Venice Biennale, Malta will present Matthew Attard's project I FOLLOW THE SHIP, curated by Elyse Tonna and Sara Dolfi Agostini, with project management by Maria Galea and Michela Rizzo. Attard's research, developed with archaeologist Julia Zerafa of the Malta Ship Graffiti Project, uses eye-tracking technology to explore human-machine boundaries.