Inner Garden – Julia Borg
In her latest solo exhibition opening on 4th July at the Palm Court Lounge inside Phoenicia Malta, Julia Borg presents the result of a dialogue between herself and the world, seen through the lens of personal experience and emotional resonance gathered over the past twelve months. Inner Garden, curated by Prof. Charlene Vella, features a new collection of the artist’s vivid floral paintings, where bursts of lush green contrast against her much-loved shades of pink and magenta, “reflecting the power and vibrancy of full bloom.” Until 31st July.
Protect Me – Alberto Favaro
A series of thought-provoking installations and mixed media artworks by artist Alberto Favaro delve into the themes of protection and freedom, and how one can limit the other, both in the domestic and political spheres. “This exhibition asks questions such as ‘Who decides what needs protecting?’ and ‘What do we lose along the way?” says MUŻA, where the exhibition is housed. “[It] explores how protection can sometimes take away choice and freedom, even when it starts with good intentions.” Until 17th July.
Smuggler – Eric Kaiser
Malta’s iconic prickly pear becomes the protagonist of Eric Kaiser’s latest exhibition, Smuggler, on display at MUŻA throughout the month. Still life paintings featuring everyday objects linked to domestic life, as well as paintings alluding to art history and religion display a prickly pear motif curiously woven into each canvas. The plant’s symbolism – as an imported species that has thrived in Malta – resonated with the artist as “an outsider seeking to integrate into a new landscape.” Until 27th July.
Two Moons and Two Suns
The Malta Society of Arts is hosting Two Moons and Two Suns, a collective exhibition opening at Palazzo de La Salle in Valletta that brings together 13 international artists exploring the archive as both medium and subject – one that is simultaneously factual, fictive, poetic and political. Curated by Claire Ducène and Margerita Pulè, the exhibition “invites us to explore how documents, maps and artefacts can mislead as much as they inform, and how fiction, myth and poetic imagining might illuminate deeper truths.” Until 20th August.
Threads of What Remains – Katel Delia
Seasoned diver and photographer Katel Delia presents an artistic investigation of underwater expeditions immortalised through her lens. From haunting images of a fragile marine environment to surviving coral reefs that bear traces of plastic in their delicate structures, Threads of What Remains, on display at Wignacourt Museum in Rabat, is an intimate journey through the fragile underwater world while raising awareness on the beauty and vulnerability of the sea. Until 26th July.
Mystery and Modernity – Carmelo Mangion
Il-Ħaġar – Heart of Gozo Museum in Victoria, Gozo, will be shining a light on the works of Carmelo Mangion, an often-underrepresented figure in Maltese modern art. This rare and comprehensive retrospective – curated by Nikki Petroni – delves into the artist’s life, work and legacy through a collection of his portraits, thematic landscapes, and etchings, many of which have not been exhibited in public for decades. Until 8th September.
Main image: Two Moons and Two Suns / Photo by Elisa von Brockdorff
