Exhibitions
Malta Biennale 2026, carving the future from stone and memory
The second edition of the Malta Biennale, titled CLEAN | CLEAR | CUT , will take place between March and May 2026 under the artistic direction of renowned Spanish curator Rosa Martínez (Soria, 1955). The conceptual framework was presented on March 26, 2025, at the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta, symbolically marking the start of a countdown that will culminate in one of the most unique cultural events on the international scene.
The inaugural edition, held between March and May 2024, placed the island on the global map of contemporary art. The Malta Biennale was then sponsored by the President of the Republic of Malta and UNESCO, support that consolidated its institutional dimension and international reach, accompanied by praise from art critics.
It is no coincidence that the biennial blossoms in spring. During those months, the archipelago unfolds a calendar of traditions and celebrations that engage with the artistic interventions scattered throughout Malta and Gozo. The experience then becomes twofold: a cultural journey and an aesthetic voyage. International publications have highlighted this combination, designating the archipelago as one of the essential destinations during the event.
Driven by Heritage Malta, the Biennial unfolds across some of the 90 museums and heritage sites that safeguard the nation's memory. Prehistoric temples, fortresses, palaces, and national museums cease to be mere guardians of the past, becoming active stages of the present. The strategy is clear: to revitalize the role of the museum in the 21st century, transforming it into a living organism where historical heritage breathes in sync with contemporary creation.
In the words of Mario Cutajar, president of Heritage Malta and the Malta Biennale 2026, contemporary art allows these spaces to “cease being merely buildings that speak of the past.” By reinterpreting the past through the lens of present-day questions, heritage sites acquire a new life and offer more complex, open, and inspiring experiences.
Nestled in the heart of the Mediterranean, the Malta Biennale is conceived as a territory of resonance. Here, where civilizations, tensions, and migrations have historically converged, art acts as a seismograph of global change. Under the direction of Rosa Martínez and in collaboration with a Maltese curatorial team, this second edition does not shy away from discomfort: it proposes thinking about the world through its cracks. It questions the gap between political and aesthetic ideals and constructed realities; it examines the inequalities that condition access to and enjoyment of art; it ultimately calls for a critical imagination.
The title CLEAN | CLEAR | CUT originates from the island's geology. In the limestone quarries, the extracted rock undergoes a transformation process before becoming architecture, a city, an identity. This mineral metaphor articulates the spirit of the biennial: to cleanse pollution—environmental, ethical, aesthetic—; to clarify our vision amidst the noise; to break with inertia and open new paths. Like the carved stone that raises walls and temples, art proposes to sculpt other possible imaginaries.
The selected works will not merely occupy the spaces: they will inhabit them, challenge them, and allow their memory to permeate them. Narratives from the past will intertwine with the urgencies of the present, forging meaningful connections with diverse audiences. The aim is to foster transgenerational, transdisciplinary, and multicultural encounters capable of inspiring policies oriented toward the common good.
The call for proposals reflects this momentum. Since March 26, 2025, all lines of participation have been open simultaneously: artists submitted their proposals until June 30; satellite events, until July 25; and national pavilions, until August 29. This broad and diverse panorama invites creators and institutions to become part of this critical cartography.
