VALLETTA.- CLEAN / CLEAR / CUT (TNADDAF / TGHARRAF / TFERRAQ) the second edition of the Malta Biennale will launch in March 2026, with acclaimed international curator, Rosa Martínez as Artistic Director.

The conceptual framework of the second edition of the Malta Biennale was announced during a press conference at the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta, on March 26, 2025, marking the official countdown to next year’s already anticipated international exhibition. During the conference, three open calls were launched, inviting local and international artists to submit proposals for projects and exhibitions; for embassies to organise national and / or thematic pavilions, and lastly, for satellite events – a new component of the Biennale.

The Malta Biennale is organised by Heritage Malta. Mario Cutajar, Chairman of Heritage Malta, and President of the Malta Biennale outlined the national agency’s commitment to establishing the Malta Biennale as a significant platform for dialogue between contemporary art and cultural heritage, with a particular focus on the Mediterranean as one of the epicentres of global change. To expound on this vision, Rosa Martínez brings her extensive expertise in international biennials and thematic exhibitions, while supported by a curatorial team composed of Antoine Borg Micallef and Alexia Medici, both from Malta.

Rosa Martínez conceived the thematic and conceptual framework of the Malta Biennale 2026 to evoke a sequence of thoughts and actions that call for an urgent transformation of the world we inhabit. The gap between proclaimed political and aesthetic ideals and the construction of false realities defines the conditions for a new form of global enslavement, where the distribution of wealth, the exploitation of natural resources, and the power to decide who lives and who dies remain concentrated in the hands of a few.

A repetitive Mannerism permeates contemporary artistic practices, while the expansion of the Western artistic canon fails to conceal the inequalities in the production, access, and enjoyment of art. Analysing the effects of the global economy, capital flows, human migrations, and data transmission technologies, reveals a troubling planetary scenario that demands a rethinking of our cultural consumption patterns. The toxic noise of misinformation and the ruthless exercise of power generate effective forms of alienation, making it necessary to:

–CLEAN: Stop environmental, ethical and aesthetic pollution. Purge, digest, expel.
–CLEAR: Discern, decipher, elucidate, understand.
–CUT: Break away, radically shift direction, open new paths.

The limestone quarries and the process of extraction and transformation of this material is engrained in the cultural landscape of the Maltese islands and animates the title of the Biennale.

The selected works and projects will relate to the history and narratives embodied in the diverse heritage locations where they will be presented. These include Malta’s prehistoric temples, forts of the Knights of St John, the Grandmaster’s and the Inquisitor’s palaces, the national museums of archeology, maritime and art in the community, the Cittadella in Gozo as well as ethnographic and natural places. Enlarging the notion of site-specificity, art will awake meaningful connections with diverse audiences.

The Biennale will question how contemporary art can enhance critical awareness of our past and present, while fostering the experience and enjoyment of beauty. It will also address some of the most pressing needs of our time by promoting dialogues between the rich cultural heritage of the Maltese archipelago, contemporary thought and innovative artistic practices. By intertwining aesthetic narratives and forging critical connections between different cultures, biennials can create transgenerational, transdisciplinary, and multicultural encounters aimed at generating policies for the common good. The Malta Biennale 2026 will be inscribed in that line of action.

The open call for artists will run from March 26 to June 30, 2025; the call for National Pavilions will run from March 26 to August 29, 2025, and the call for Satellite Events will run from March 26 to July 25, 2025. All the calls can be viewed and accessed via maltabiennale.art.