The Malta International Contemporary Art Space, or MICAS as it will be known, is scheduled to open in 2022 and will occupy a redeveloped fortified military site in the Mediterranean nation’s Floriana district.
When work is complete, it is hoped the venue can attract major international exhibitions and collections to Malta for the very first time. The site will also aim to provide an unparalleled platform for contemporary Maltese artists.
The project, which has been co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund, has been heralded a significant legacy of the capital Valletta having been European Capital of Culture in 2018.
The new contemporary arts venue additions, which will contrast architecturally with the restored Old Ospizio fortifications, will feature site-specific installations by artists including Ugo Rondinone and Pierre Huyghe.
“This site was identified in 2015 as the ideal location for MICAS. We are looking at a sustainable approach which combines intensive restoration work of the historic fabric together with an innovative design,” explains Phyllis Muscat, the institution’s inaugural chair.
“Through this we can create a concept that is quite unique. This is precisely what we are doing, adding a contemporary structure as a new layer in conversation with the outstanding military architecture and its socio historic narratives.”
