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maltatoday | SUNDAY • 23 JUNE 2024 2 ART MICAS opens its doors in 2024 with stellar roster of international artists A stellar roster of visionary art- ists is poised to redefine Malta's cultural landscape this year: with the Malta International Contemporary Art Space (MI- CAS) preparing for its grand de- but with an inaugural line-up of artists that will thrust Malta on the global art map. The Portuguese conceptual artist Joana Vasconcelos, Af- rican-American artist Reggie Burrows Hodges as well as a Milton Avery survey with work by contemporary artists inspired by Avery, are the sensational highlights of Malta's first-ever contemporary art museum and its meticulously-crafted pro- gramme of five diverse exhibi- tions stretching into 2026. MICAS opens its doors in Oc- tober 2024, where the public will enjoy the restored 17th centu- ry Ospizio fortress, expansive indoor gallery spaces, outdoor sculpture gardens and a café. Artistic director Edith Deva- ney says the carefully developed selection process has been de- signed to present exhibitions of the highest quality. "It develops original ideas and honours di- versity, and develops relation- ships with global artists and museums," Devaney, who until recently was senior curator at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, says. With Vasconcelos – recently commissioned to outfit the stage for Christian Dior's 2023- 2024 Paris Fashion Week show – Malta Contemporary's opening exhibition will be colourful and exuberant, with wide resonance and relevance to the museum's visitors, both local and interna- tional. "A core selection of installa- tions that focus on the domestic will be presented alongside three major works that connect with the contemplative side of human existence – Tree of Life, The Garden of Eden and Valkyrie Mumbet," Devaney says. Vasconcelos will form a deep engagement with Malta for her exhibition, which also cele- brates MICAS's contemporary architecture. Her work will be presented in the 'raw' building, before the internal museum structure is installed, revealing the natural beauty of the exca- vated and historic walls of the Ospizio washed in the natural light that flows throughout. "A Joana Vasconcelos exhibi- tion presents the perfect open- ing exhibition for MICAS as it invites visitors to step into her magical vision and in doing so, explore the museum and its campus," Devaney says, add- ing that all international artists working with Malta Contempo- rary are challenged to leverage Malta and its culture to inform their approach to the selection and placement of work in the galleries. In November 2024, MICAS will also celebrate a major, newly commissioned sculpture by the celebrated Maltese artist Ray Pitre, which will be permanent- ly and prominently positioned within the campus as part of MI- CAS's permanent collection. "We are proud that our pro- gramme establishes an identity for this contemporary museum in a crowded global art scene while reaffirming our artis- tic independence," says Phyl- lis Muscat, CEO and Chair of the MICAS board. "This sets MICAS apart from other gov- ernment-funded cultural or- ganisations and aligns us with international not-for-profit mu- seums." Future exhibitions Future exhibitions will feature works from master colourist Milton Avery – who influenced artists like Barnett Newman and Mark Rothko – and Reggie Bur- rows Hodges with a new exhibi- tion of work, much of which has been created for Malta Contem- porary. A core body of paintings from the hugely respected American artist Milton Avery will also mark a first for Malta in 2025: rarely has Avery's work been seen in Europe. With, amongst others, Harold Ancart, March Avery, Gary Hume and Nicolas Party, the exhibition will be a captivating study of how con- temporary art remains rooted in Modernism, revealing these artists' debt to Avery's compo- sitions and unique approach to colour. In 2026, African-American artist Reggie Burrows Hodges will bring a visual narrative that explores questions of identity, community and memory. "A pil- lar of the programme will be to showcase the work of global art- ists who have earned recognition from their singular approach to creating art," Devaney says. Maltese contemporary art In 2025, "Malta In Focus" will host Malta's leading contempo- rary artists, illustrating the rich- ness of contemporary Maltese practice from Caesar Attard, Austin Camilleri, Joyce Camill- eri and Anton Grech, and more. "This marks Malta's Contempo- rary's commitment to celebrate Maltese art at its highest form and bringing it to a wider inter- national stage," Devaney says. "Malta in Focus" will be a cu- rated exhibition occupying all the gallery spaces and will fea- ture the work of leading Mal- ta-based contemporary artists. Selected and installed around the concept of imagined space, the exhibition will include artists from several different genera- tions, working across differing media and it will illustrate the depth and richness of contem- porary art practice in Malta. It will also mark the beginning of regular exhibitions within the programme that explore and showcase Malta-based art with- in a global context. The €30 million MICAS, part-financed by the European Union under the European Re- gional Development Fund, is set to strengthen Malta's cultural infrastructure with its platform for contemporary art and inter- nationalisation. "The MICAS mission is to be an advocate of contemporary art by raising public awareness to the significance of the visual arts in contemporary life, and by bringing to the forefront the way art and artists help mediate and interpret the world we live in," says CEO Phyllis Muscat, who has seen MICAS coming into shape over the last five years of construction. Leading up to 2024, MICAS has displayed works in sever- al outdoor spaces across Malta from artists including Conrad Shawcross, Ugo Rondinone, Pierre Huyghe, Cristina Iglesias and Michele Oka Doner. Joana Vasconcelos, celebrated Portuguese conceptual artist whose grand sculptures enthral millions, hosted by Malta Contemporary in 2024 Portuguese conceptual artist Joana Vasconcelos