Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1541835
2 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 7 DECEMBER 2025 CULTURE Glassworks by Luciano Micallef LUCIANO Micallef cur- rently has a new exhibition of glass works, together with the launch of his book Glassworks, published by Kite. The book gathers an extensive collection of re- cent works and documents the artist's journey into the world of glass. The use of a furnace is essential for this work. Micallef, known for his colourful abstracts on can- vas, has in recent years de- veloped a strong passion for glass, a medium that binds colour with light in a way that gives n e w life to artis- tic work. This in- terest in- tensified w h e n he began the stained glass window project for the Church of Divine Mercy in Naxxar. The book Glassworks in- cludes texts by Luciano Mi- callef, Prof. Conrad Thake, and Prof. David E. Cooper, offering different perspec- tives—artistic, historical, and philosophical. They emphasize the unique way in which glass reflects and expresses coloured light, and how Micallef's works create a sense of unity, posi- tivity, and inspiration. The book consists of 224 full-colour pages and is available from Kite Group, 13 Franciscans Street, Ham- run, from www.kitegroup. com.mt, from bookshops, and from Gallery 5. The Glassworks exhibi- tion is located at Gallery 5, F. W. Ryan Street, San Pawl tat-Tarġa, between 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Visits at other times can be ar- ranged by contacting the artist on 7972 9019. The Malta Biennale announces pavilions for the 2026 edition THE Malta Biennale 2026 is proud to announce that the sec- ond edition of the contemporary art platform will feature as many as 28 national and thematic pa- vilions doubling the number of participating pavilions from the first edition. Out of the 28 pavilions partici- pating in the Malta Biennale 2026 – 7 will be national pavilions, whilst the remainder will be the- matic pavilions. The artists and curators of the pavilions cover the following 25 countries: Australia, Belgium, China, Egypt, Finland, France, Germa- ny, Ghana, Greece, India, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Korea, Malaysia, Malta, Morocco, Poland, Serbia, Spain, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, USA and Uzbekistan. The national pavilions will be organised by: China, France, It- aly, Malta, Poland, Serbia and Spain. For the coming edition, there are also important collaborations with the: Gwangju Biennale, in which Malta will be participating next year (September – Decem- ber 2026), via the national com- missioner and partners of the Malta Biennale – Arts Council Malta, while another collabora- tion will take place with the Troy Museum in Turkey. Furthermore, through the pavil- ions, there will be further collab- oration and direct engagement between local and international artists from various art fields in- cluding music, theatre and dance. The pavilions which will be or- ganised across two of the main Malta Biennale venues, Fort St Elmo in Valletta, and the Old Armoury of the Knights in Vit- toriosa - will feature a mixture of art forms – from two- and three-dimensional art, to instal- lations, to performance art and live action work. Some of the pa- vilions have also incorporated an artist-in-residence programme, for participating artists to be able to produce site and space-specif- ic work for the Malta Biennale 2026. A dynamic programme of public events will also accompa- ny the pavilions which include but are not limited to: interac- tive workshops and participatory events tailored to engage artists, students, schools, colleges, and the wider community. The pro- gramme will feature artist-in-res- idence projects, public talks, lectures, and informal conversa- tions, alongside more structured formats such as panel and round table discussions, conferences, and online dialogues with inter- national experts. By combining on-site and on- line formats, these initiatives aim to foster dialogue, collabo- ration, and creative exploration. Complementing these knowl- edge-sharing activities are hands- on workshops, demonstrations, communal sound gatherings, and audiovisual performances, all designed to cultivate collective experiences and deepen cultural exchange. The Malta Biennale 2026, will take place from March 11 to May 29, 2026 (March 11 – 13 preview days), across some 11 Heritage Malta historic sites and museums, in Valletta, il-Birgu, ix-Xagħra and Gozo's Ċittadella. Tickets for the Malta Biennale 2026, will be available for pur- chase via the Malta Biennale website – www.maltabiennale. art - on December 15. The Malta Biennale is a Herit- age Malta initiative, organised in partnership with Arts Council Malta and in collaboration with Visit Malta, the Ministry of Cul- ture, Lands and Local Govern- ment, and the Ministry for For- eign Affairs and Tourism. The pavilions which will be organised across two of the main Malta Biennale venues, Fort St Elmo in Valletta, and the Old Armoury of the Knights in Vittoriosa - will feature a mixture of art forms – from two- and three-dimensional art, to installations, to performance art and live action work