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My essentials RUTH BIANCO Visual artist UK-trained contemporary fine artist working across interdisciplinary, research- led practice. Actively engaged in independent art projects and international collaborations, with exhibitions locally and internationally. As professor of art at the University of Malta, I initiated the Art in Architecture programme. I fuse architectural space into my studio-based work, and have held senior leadership roles in museum development, curation, culture, research, and education. 1. Museum 2. Film 3. Internet 4. Music 5. Place MY playlist shifts with time and mood, so, it can range from Zen flute to contem- porary classics such as Phil- ip Glass, Erik Satii or Yann Tiersen. Lately, come evening, I lean towards a jazzy 'n loun- gey playlist and love the sultry sounds of Melody Gardot. I've also recently discovered Ka- ren Souza's covers album—a remix of familiar old-timers in velvety, whisper-to-the-mic vocals. It is perfect listening while cooking, dining, or sim- ply chilling. VIETNAM–A soulful long- haul. In Asia, I feel I've entered a time warp. The vegetation, air, sounds, and culture feel worlds apart from the Mediterrane- an that shaped me. I was overwhelmed by the road culture—thousands of mo- torbikes flood pavements in Hanoi. A nation marked by its post-war history; Vi- etnam has woven this into its touristic narrative. It is a fascinating country with deeply charming people. I still recall incense drifting from Buddhist temples, mingling with street food and markets. A good museum is like a walk-through book—it offers cultural catharsis, leaving you transformed and informed. Such was my recent visit to Africa-Museum in Tervuren Park, Belgium. Once a colo- nial trophy mausoleum built under Leopold II, it now pre- sents a powerful recontextu- alization of history, artefacts, and space. Light penetrates a contemporary glass structure within the old, marble palace. It left me reflecting on our tumultuous world order and whether art can redeem hu- manity's past. ALL the Light We Cannot See is fictional yet grounded in the realities of World War II, adapted by Shawn Levy from Anthony Doerr's Pu- litzer Prize-winning novel. Lead actor Aria Mia Loberti is blind in real life. To me, the film is an artistic paradox. It renders emotional force in heightened perception— sightedness through blind- ness—embodied in both Marie-Laure's inner heroism and Loberti's performance. It struck raw and being an artist is demanding; being a sight- less artist would seem doubly so I turn to the internet and social media to keep abreast of world affairs and headlines. I'm an avid listener of podcasts—in- vestigative journalism, in- terviews, history, culture, science—all of which feed my artistic drive. I keep the BBC running. Now- adays, social networks are indispensable for navigating the art world. Today, the visual world is explosive. Every mu- seum, gallery, and artist, has a virtual presence we can access making artists more independent and less tied to institutional agendas. Compiled by Laura Calleja suggestions by email lcalleja@mediatoday.com 4 5 1 MaltaToday is supported by Arts Council Malta 4 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 1 MARCH 2026 ALMANAC 3 2