{"id":16386,"date":"2026-05-08T17:39:41","date_gmt":"2026-05-08T15:39:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/artscouncilmalta.gov.mt\/the-official-opening-of-the-malta-pavilion-at-the-venice-biennale-2026\/"},"modified":"2026-05-08T17:58:37","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T15:58:37","slug":"the-official-opening-of-the-malta-pavilion-at-the-venice-biennale-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artscouncilmalta.gov.mt\/en\/the-official-opening-of-the-malta-pavilion-at-the-venice-biennale-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"The official opening of the Malta Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Malta\u2019s participation is a reflection of the development of the local contemporary art scene, and emphasises the experimental and multidisciplinary skills of local artists on a global scale.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arts Council Malta has announced the official opening of the Malta pavilion as part of its prestigious arts showcase at the La Biennale di Venezia, with Malta presenting No Need to Sparkle: Experiments in Love and Revolution at the Arsenale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pavilion, which is commissioned by Arts Council Malta, brings together the works of art of artists Adrian MM Abela, Charlie Cauchi and Raphael Vella, under the curatorship of Margerita Pul\u00e8, and with architectural design by SON Architects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Malta\u2019s participation in one of the largest, international platforms for contemporary art further strengthens Arts Council Malta\u2019s commitment towards supporting ambitious, artistic practices and towards increasing international presence for Maltese artists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Luke Dalli, Executive Chairman of Arts Council Malta said \u201cMalta\u2019s continuous presence at Venice\u2019s Biennale makes up an important part of Arts Council Malta\u2019s long-term vision of further strengthening the internationalisation of local, artistic practice. Through our Strategy 2030, we are investing in our cultural ecology to give artists, curators and cultural organisations the opportunity to participate in international, cultural dialogues with ambition and confidence. This year\u2019s pavilion reflects not only Malta\u2019s contemporary art scene\u2019s high quality and maturity but also the value of collaboration between public institutions and the independent cultural sector to create sustainable opportunities for future generations. No Need to Sparkle: Experiments in Love and Revolution shows how Maltese artists are tackling universal themes like identity, memory, power and resistance through multidisciplinary and experimental practices that speak to international audiences. The pavilion, which brings together artists, curation, architecture and independent organisations towards one coherent vision, is testimony to the growing development and confidence in the local cultural sector.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Annabelle Stivala, Head of Internationalisation at Arts Council Malta, said, \u201cThis pavilion shows Arts Council Malta\u2019s continued commitment to creating international opportunities for Maltese artists. Such projects not only offer Maltese artists visibility but also facilitate dialogues and exchanges. They are the start to new relationships with industry stakeholders from around the globe and also help us strengthen existing relationships. Our presence at international networks such as these is essential in the development of our country\u2019s cultural ecology.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Malta\u2019s pavilion resonates strongly with the 2026 Biennale\u2019s curatorial theme, In Minor Keys, engaging with notions of catharsis, authenticity and nations while resisting fixed or triumphal notions of power. Instead, the pavilion invites audiences to reflect and empathise and makes room for humour as part of the human experience. This is achieved through three distinct works of art. Declaration of Dependence (A Game of Surrender) by Adrian MM Abela is structured as a stage divided into three temporal zones. Dolce by Charlie Cauchi uses a 4K video format, accompanied by sculptural elements in chocolate and mixed materials. Raphael Vella\u2019s installation Praying for a Revolution That Will Never Come combines stop-motion animation, sound, and industrially compressed protest posters and banners. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Curator of the Maltese pavilion, Margarita Pul\u00e8, said, “The Pavilion is conceived as a space that asks us to reconsider our own certainties, and that introduces doubt, illusion, and myth, not as a paralysis, but as starting points toward empathy and greater understanding in the world. The works within the Pavilion layer myths, fiction, history and contemporary media, and draw from a wide range of historical and conceptual sources, forming three separate, but co-existing installations. Thus, No Need to Sparkle invites a second look at how we understand the world around us, and how we relate to our fixed beliefs and convictions.” <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Malta\u2019s pavilion at the 61st Arts International Showcase \u2013 La Biennale di Venezia is open to the public from the 9th May to the 22nd November 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Malta Pavilion at the 61st International Art Exhibition \u2013 La Biennale di Venezia 2026 is commissioned by Arts Council Malta.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n


Adrian MM Abela, Charlie Cauchi and Raphael Vella represent Malta at the 61st International Art Exhibition \u2013 La Biennale di Venezia 2026 taking place from the 9th of May until the 22nd of November 2026. The Malta Pavilion, titled No Need To Sparkle is curated by Margerita Pul\u00e8, with architects SON architecture, and project-managed by Tamara Burr, with Outreach by Kathrine Maj with visual identity by Alexandra Pace. It is produced by Unfinished Art Space with R Gallery.
<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n


Thanks to: Alpha Rental Ltd, Attard Holdings, Bank of Valletta, Frendo Advisory, Grands Suites, Malta Enterprise, People and Skin, Visit Malta, Zampa Partners, Form, MIB Insurance Brokers, MySchool, Stilla, Strawberry Fields, The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, the Embassy of France in Malta, Francis Sultana, and Hamrun Local Council. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Malta\u2019s participation is a reflection of the development of the local contemporary art scene, and emphasises the experimental and multidisciplinary skills of local artists on a global scale. Arts Council Malta has announced the official opening of the Malta pavilion as part of its prestigious arts showcase at the La Biennale di Venezia, with Malta […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":16385,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16386","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/artscouncilmalta.gov.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16386","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/artscouncilmalta.gov.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/artscouncilmalta.gov.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artscouncilmalta.gov.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artscouncilmalta.gov.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16386"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/artscouncilmalta.gov.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16386\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16397,"href":"https:\/\/artscouncilmalta.gov.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16386\/revisions\/16397"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artscouncilmalta.gov.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16385"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/artscouncilmalta.gov.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16386"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artscouncilmalta.gov.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16386"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artscouncilmalta.gov.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16386"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}