Under the curation of Sofia Baldi Pighi, an independent Italian curator, assisted by Nigel Baldacchino, Elisa Carollo, and Emma Mattei, the event will feature 72 artists, including groups and collectives, from 23 different nations. The Malta Biennale will unfold across twelve historical sites, with the newly restored Grandmaster’s Palace in Valletta serving as the main exhibition venue. The remaining eleven historic sites hosting exhibitions will be spread out across the islands of Malta and Gozo.
In her curatorial statement titled "Insulaphilia”, Pighi promised that the event aims to “investigate insular thinking”, emphasising that the biennial seeks to portray the island “not as a postcard utopia but as a delimitation that produces learning and encounters”.
The event will be divided into four sections respectively exploring regional concerns, decolonisation, political issues in the Mediterranean, and resistance. The biennial’s main theme draws inspiration from the concept of French philosopher Gilles Deleuze, who suggested that islands encapsulate “the intensity of the world itself”.
Below is the artist list for the 2024 Malta Biennale’s main pavilion:
Alan Abd El Monim (Italy/Egypt)
Camilla Alberti (Italy)
Anna Anderegg (Switzerland)
Teresa Antignani (Italy)
Jean-Marie Appriou (France)
Rosa Barba (Italy-Germany)
Simon Benjamin (Jamaica)
Laura Besançon (Malta)
Aaron Bezzina (Malta)
Rebecca Bonaci (Malta)
Josian Bonello (Malta)
Isabelle Borg (Malta)
Claude Borg, Maria Borg, Sumaya Ben Saad, Rebecca Mifsud (Malta)
Amy Bravo (USA)
Tania Bruguera (Cuba)
Siwani Buhlebezwe (South Africa)
Teresa Busuttil (Australia)
Anna Calleja (Malta)
Austin Camilleri (Malta)
Edson Chagas (Angola/Portugal)
Mel Chin (China-USA)
Leo Chircop (Malta)
Dolphin Club (Malta, France)
Joseph Cochran II (USA)
Andrea Conte (Andreco) (Italy)
Gaia De Megni (Italy)
Mònica de Miranda (Portugal/Angola)
Adama Delphine Fawundu (USA)
Zehra Doğan (Kurdistan)
Dolphin Club (Malta, France)
Madeleine Fenwick (Britain)
Andrea Ferrero (Peru)
Martina Georgina, Romeo Roxman Gatt (Malta)
Nina Gerada (Malta)
Sara Goldschmied, Eleonora Chiari (Italy)
Bettina Hutschek (Germany)
Anne Immelé (France)
Daniel Jablonski (Brazil)
Barbara Kapusta (Austria)
Dew Kim (South Korea)
Konstantina Krikzoni (Greece)
Wioletta Kulewska Akyel, (Poland)
Sara Leghissa, (Italy)
Ji Yeon Yaloo Lim, Pia Borg (Korea, Malta-Australia)
Luz Lizarazo (Colombia)
Edson Luli (Albania)
Basim Magdy (Switzerland/Egypt)
Guadalupe Maravilla (El Salvador)
Jermay Michael Gabriel (Italy)
Karyn Olivier (USA)
Zazzaro Otto (Italy)
Adrian Paci (Albania)
Post Disaster (Collective), Grazia Mappa, Gabriele Leo, Gabriella Mastrangelo, Peppe Frisino (Italy)
Dijana Protić (Croatia)
Laure Prouvost (France)
Keit Bonnici, Florinda Camilleri, Neils Plotard (Malta, Malta, France)
Agnes Questionmark (Italy)
Anna Raimondo (Italy)
Pedro Reyes (Mexico)
Cemile Sahin (Germany)
Paul Sammut (Britain)
Zineb Sedira (France/Algeria)
Ana Shametaj, Giuditta Vendrame (Italy/ Albania, Italy)
Anthony Spagnol (Malta)
Tom Van Malderen (Belgium)
Fabrizio Vatieri (Italy)
Raphael Vella (Malta)
Matteo Vettorello (Italy)
Cover image: Fort St Elmo, Valletta. © Malta Biennale.
