MICAS International Art Weekend 2023
The MICAS International Art Weekend concluded today, on the 29th of October. As MICAS prepares for its 2024 opening, this year’s event featured the unveiling of a sculpture by Conrad Shawcross in the MICAS grounds, amongst other events such as a keynote lecture by Timothy Rub, the George D. Widener Emeritus Director of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, discussing museums’ roles in supporting continuity and change.
The event showcased ‘What is to become is already here,’ a display of three distinct bodies of work by the renowned British artist Conrad Shawcross. MICAS collaborated closely with Shawcross to curate this display across the MICAS site, which was is in its final stages of construction. Shawcross was among the first artists to visit Malta as a guest of MICAS, finding inspiration in the location’s history, proximity to the sea, marina, and breathtaking views. The title of the show hinted at what’s to come at MICAS and referenced the site’s rich history within historic fortifications.
The MICAS International Art Weekend included a keynote lecture by Timothy Rub titled ‘Preserving the Past/Programming for the Future.’ This lecture and panel discussion, led by MICAS artistic director Edith Devaney in discussion with Waqas Wajahat, Conrad Shawcross, Dr. Georgina Portelli and Timothy Rub explored the evolving role of not-for-profit museums and art institutions. The event took place on Saturday, the 28th of October at the National Museum of Archaeology, Valletta. In the evening, the MICAS Annual Fundraiser Art Party, curated by Michele Tufigno, transformed the Malta Maritime Museum in Birgu.
On Sunday, MICAS concluded the weekend with a well-attended site tour led by Conrad Shawcross, discussing the works and process for ‘What is to become is already here.’
As the artistic community eagerly awaits the opening of the new international art space’s first galleries next year, these events have made it possible for the community to access educational and artistic interventions at the highest levels of the international art world.
Preserving the Past/Programming for the Future forms part of the MICAS International Art Weekend 2023 and it is supported by the Ministry for Justice, Culture and Local Government, European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), Restoration Directorate, Visit Malta and Heritage Malta.
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