Valletta Contemporary Explained

Valletta Contemporary (VC) is an independent exhibition space in Valletta, Malta. Established in April 2018, the gallery is situated in a 400-year-old former warehouse in East Street, very close to St. Barbara Bastions and Lower Barrakka Gardens.^{[1] [2]}

Art space

VC is a not-for-profit art space,^{[3] [4]} and is affiliated with the Contemporary Art Organization Ocular.^[5]

The Gallery was conceived by the artist and architect Norbert Francis Attard, who is also responsible for the general administration of the gallery. The renovation of the property took ten years and involved the conversion of three former warehouses into a suitable gallery space.

Exhibitions

• Here & Now (June 2018)^[6]
• Traces (May–June 2019)^[7]
• Tabita Rezaire (July–August 2019)^[8]
• This Land Is Your Land (July–August 2019)^[9]
• The Spaces That Connect Us (July–Aug 2019)^[10]
• French Idea[L] (Aug–Sept 2019) – curated by Olivier Plique and with work by Domenique De Beir, Christian Jaccard and Denis Pondruel, this exhibition explored the meaning behind Freedom, Equality and Fraternity, the motto of the French Republic.^{[11] [12]}
• Diktat (Sept–Oct 2019)^[13]
• Corpus Adflictum (Nov–Dec 2019)^[14]
• Scheherazade (Dec 2019 – Feb 2020)^[15]
• Up to now^[16] (Feb–Mar 2020) – with work by international artists such as Damien Hirst, Ian Howard, Dan Hudson, Mikhail Karikis, Ignacio Muv, Denis Pondruel, Richard Roth, Javier Vivas, Hans Kotter, Brian Eno, Fikret Atay, Eberhard Bosslet and Carlos Coronas. In addition, the following local artists Alex Attard, Gabriel Caruana, Teresa Sciberras, Ryan Falzon, Aaron Bezzina, Kane Cali, Charlie Cauchi, Matyou Galea, and Roxman Gatt were also featured.^[17]
• Playful Futures (April–June 2021) – curated by Elyse Tonna, featuring work by Laura Besançon, Tom Lovelace, Tom Medwell, Ignacio Barrios, Dawoon Kim, and Gokhan Tanriover.^[18]

VC Editions

Curated by the Gallery Founder, VC Editions is an initiative that supports selected local and international contemporary artists through commissioning the production of contemporary art pieces. Specific pieces are chosen in consultation with the artist and the gallery. The pieces are then reproduced in numbered editions and made available for sale exclusively through Valletta Contemporary.^[19] The Collection features works by various artists such as Carlos Coronas, Eberhard Bosslet, Shawn Maximo, Matthew Attard, Eric Meier, Christian Jaccard, Norbert Francis Attard, Aaron Bezzina, Charlie Cauchi, Alex Attard, and Maxine Attard.^[20]

Events

The MET(a) Gala was held at Valletta Contemporary on December 14, 2019. The event served as a fundraising initiative, combining contemporary art and fashion in Malta.^{[21] [22]} It featured participants from various fields, including cuisine, design, fashion, architecture, and art.^[23]

In October 2019, the Malta International Contemporary Art Space (MICAS) organized the MICAS International Art Weekend. The event included a series of talks at Valletta Contemporary, with notable speakers such as Sir Norman Foster.^[24] Additionally, the weekend featured the solo exhibition Diktat by German artist Eric Meier.

External links

35.8967°N 14.5144°W

Notes and References

1. Web site: Much-anticipated contemporary art gallery officially opens in Valletta. 2021-03-31. www.guidememalta.com. en.
2. Address: 15, 16, 17, Triq Lvant (East Street),Valletta, Malta
3. Web site: Valletta Contemporary. 2021-03-31. www.artland.com.
4. Web site: 2019-01-05. Mahalla Festival Mahalla. 2021-03-31. en-US.
5. Web site: 2021-04-02. Valletta Contemporary Malta. 2021-04-02. ocula.com. en.
6. Web site: MutualArt.com - The Web's Largest Art Information Service.. 2021-03-31. www.mutualart.com. en.
7. Web site: 2023-07-02. Valletta Contemporary – double bill of exhibitions. 16 June 2019. Times of Malta.
8. Web site: TABITA REZAIRE. 2021-03-31. ARTZID. en-US.
9. Web site: 2023-07-02. Landscapes shaping our ideas of belonging and identity. 9 August 2019. Times of Malta.
10. Web site: 2023-07-02. The significance of (dis)connecting. 14 July 2019. Times of Malta.
11. Web site: Team. TEMPLE. 2019-08-12. VALLETTA CONTEMPORARY FRENCH IDEA[L] - An extraordinary exhibition.]. 2021-04-02. templemagazine. en.
12. Web site: 2023-07-02. Celebrating the French ideal. 16 September 2019. Times of Malta.
13. Web site: 2023-07-02. German artist has solo show at Valletta Contemporary. 26 September 2019. Times of Malta.
14. Web site: 2023-07-02. A chilling body of work. 24 November 2019. Times of Malta.
15. Web site: 2023-07-02. Exhibition explores female identity. 8 January 2020. Times of Malta.
16. Web site: Up to Now. 2021-03-31. www.artland.com.
17. Web site: UP TO NOW, VALLETTA CONTEMPORARY, MALTA «. 2021-04-02. en-US.
18. Web site: 2023-07-02. Playful subversion. 16 May 2021. Times of Malta.
19. Web site: VC Editions Valletta Contemporary. 2021-05-08. VallettaContemporary. en.
20. Web site: 2021-05-10. Artworks Exhibiting at Valletta Contemporary Art Gallery. 2021-05-10. ocula.com. en.
21. Web site: 2019-12-13. Valletta Contemporary MET[A] GALA • Malta's Culture Portal]. 2021-04-02. Food • Arts • Fashion. en-US.
22. Web site: Borg . Coryse . 2019-11-19 . Valletta Contemporary to Host MET Gala . 2021-04-02 . Newsbook . en-US.
23. Web site: Valletta Contemporary to host MET[A] Gala - The Malta Independent ]. 2021-04-02 . www.independent.com.mt.
24. Web site: MICAS Launches International Art Weekend In Valletta Malta . 2021-04-02 . Artlyst . en-GB.