KIND | STRANGE | BEAUTIFUL — MSA Members' Exhibition 2026

The Malta Society of Arts' 2026 Members' Annual Exhibition, KIND | STRANGE | BEAUTIFUL, offers an expansive portrait of contemporary artistic practice in Malta. It feels a bit like the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy in London, albeit a smaller version and actually a bit more enjoyable.

Bringing together more than eighty artists at Valletta's historic Palazzo de La Salle, the exhibition is less a unified statement than a lively encounter between differing perspectives and generations, and indeed different media. Curated by Prof. Charlene Vella, it presents an environment in which painting, sculpture, photography, ceramics, printmaking and mixed media can coexist without being forced into a single aesthetic or narrative.

The title provides the exhibition's principal point of departure, though not a strict framework. "Kind", "strange" and "beautiful" are deliberately open-ended categories, capable of overlapping and contradicting one another. A work that initially appears beautiful may reveal something unsettling; an image that seems strange may contain tenderness; an act of kindness may be expressed through an unfamiliar visual language. This ambiguity gives the exhibition its intellectual energy. Rather than instructing visitors how to interpret the works, it encourages them to test their own assumptions.

That openness is particularly appropriate for a members' exhibition, where variety is not a problem to be concealed but a central virtue. The participating artists include established practitioners, emerging voices, international artists living in Malta and individuals who may be exhibiting publicly for the first time. The result is a broad and sometimes unpredictable cross-section of the country's creative community. It reflects not only what artists are making, but also the different experiences and expectations shaping artistic life on the islands.

Particular highlights are Michelle Gialanze's *Earthskin* showcasing "identity as an ongoing process of vulnerability." Martin Degabrele's *Presence of the Moth* which states "close attention reveals the moth's intricate beauty, turning an overlooked creature into a symbol for people who are different or misunderstood." Yuxiang Tang's excellent *Can see Imdina's Sink* which has a curious body floating in a domestic sink. Jade Zammit's *Take me to Places That Live Inside You: Dreams 3* is more straightforward, but just as lovely.

Among the wonderfully provocative sculptures Andreas Paul Muscat's *Evanescenza* is a puzzling nude figure which "seems to dissolve between presence and disappearance." Mariz Cassar Wirth Cavarro's *Seated Figure Sculpture* is equally quixotic, best understood 'in the round.' While Sue Bencini's *Beneath Becoming* is more like an alien creature than coral from this planet.

There are several particularly Maltese works that emphasize the distinctive charms of this country. Ethelbert Perini's *The Old Man* seems very familiar. Daniel Borg captures a *Dancer in a Maltese Kazin* in quite a Hopper-esque way. Margaret Farrugia's *Solar Equinox* pays homage to the ancient history of these islands. Mariam De Giorgio's *Easter Breakfast* is distinctly Maltese, and very beautiful.

Vella's curatorial contribution lies in giving this diversity structure without diminishing its individuality. Her attention to subject, medium, colour, scale, technique and mood creates relationships between works that might otherwise remain isolated. The exhibition's rhythm depends on contrast: bold beside restrained, familiar beside unexpected, technically polished beside exploratory. Visitors are invited to move through the few small galleries freely, forming connections according to their own responses rather than following a predetermined argument.

This approach also allows the exhibition to function as a conversation between generations. Vella has emphasised her interest in the participation of younger artists and in discovering how a new generation approaches both traditional and contemporary media. Their presence alongside more established artists creates an important sense of continuity, while also revealing shifts in artistic language and subject matter. The exhibition therefore becomes more than a display of individual achievement; it is a record of a living artistic community.

Palazzo de La Salle, with its parquet floors, decorated ceilings and historic architectural details, gives the artworks an atmosphere of distinction and permanence. Yet the restored galleries and considered exhibition lighting ensure that the building remains a supportive backdrop rather than an overwhelming spectacle. The dialogue between the historic venue and contemporary art is one of the exhibition's quiet pleasures. However, I did find the lighting not quite right in some instances, perhaps reflecting the challenges of the space.

Most importantly, KIND | STRANGE | BEAUTIFUL marks the return of the MSA Members' Exhibition after a three-year absence and its relaunch as an annual event. Free admission makes it accessible to a wide public, while the scale and range of the exhibition reward repeated visits. It is a generous celebration of artistic plurality. In bringing so many voices together, the Malta Society of Arts demonstrates that a cultural institution's history is most meaningful when it continues to create opportunities for the future.