ArtReview sent a questionnaire to the artists and curator representing Malta at the 61st Venice Biennale (2026). The Malta Pavilion, titled "No Need To Sparkle: Experiments in Love and Revolution," is curated by Margerita Pulè and features three artists: Adrian MM Abela, Charlie Cauchi, and Raphael Vella. Abela presents "Declaration of Dependence," a stage-based work questioning national pavilion structures; Cauchi shows "Dolce," a video and sculptural piece critiquing cinematic illusions and Malta's layered identity; and Vella exhibits "Praying for a Revolution That Will Never Come," exploring a century of collective dissent in Malta. The pavilion is located in the Arsenale.
This article matters because it offers an early, in-depth look at how a small nation like Malta navigates the tension between national representation and genuine artistic expression at the world's most prestigious contemporary art exhibition, the Venice Biennale. The artists and curator explicitly address the soft-power dynamics of the Biennale, the theme "In Minor Keys," and the role of doubt, instability, and political resistance in their work, providing critical context for understanding the 2026 edition before it opens.