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Observer’s Guide to the Best Art Galleries in Malta

This archipelago in the central Mediterranean is famous for its Baroque architecture, Megalithic temples and beautiful beaches. Its art scene, on the other hand, has flown under the radar for far too long.

This tiny island chain is one of the Mediterranean’s most persistently and unjustly overlooked destinations when it comes to art. Some would say it’s because Malta, with its roots deeply embedded in Roman Catholic traditions, has little new to offer when compared with the Italian Renaissance. Yet Maltese art is arguably far more diverse, with influences rooted not only in its crusader traditions but also in its complex military ties with the British Empire and its proximity to North Africa.

Fortunately, in recent years, efforts by a handful of determined independent galleries and E.U.-supported institutions campaigning to put Maltese art on the map have sparked a noticeable, steadily rising momentum in the local art scene. With travel to Malta on the rise, art-loving visitors who choose to explore beyond the historical landmarks, beaches and UNESCO heritage sites find there’s plenty to see beyond MUŻA – National Community Art Museum, St John's Co-Cathedral and the Spazju Kreattiv cultural center.

Malta's best art galleries

Valletta Contemporary in Valletta

Christine X Art Gallery in Sliema

Marie Gallery 5 in Sliema

Rudy Buhler Art in Marsaskala

Valletta Contemporary in Valletta

15, 16, 17 East Street Valletta, VLT 1253, Malta

Arguably the most important art gallery on the island, Valletta Contemporary was founded in 2018 by Maltese multidisciplinary artist Norbert Francis Attard to keep Maltese art in constant dialogue with the international scene. It operates out of a 400-year-old former warehouse, with the space specifically designed to highlight the character of the art it presents, which can include large-scale installations and technically demanding works. The multi-level interior, with thick limestone walls, vaulted volumes and industrial traces, is interspersed with clean, white-walled exhibition rooms, creating a distinctive blend of historical architecture and the modern white cube gallery aesthetic. Valletta Contemporary runs a rotating program of temporary exhibitions largely focused on work by local artists, both established and emerging, though it frequently hosts international artists and collaborates with foreign institutions, collectors........

© Observer