The history of the Floriana fortifications which today host the Malta International Contemporary Art Space (MICAS) is the focus of a new exhibition featuring a rich display of photography and documentation on the genesis and development of the gallery.
Beyond the Bastions opened to the public on Saturday, with an exhibition of historical documents from the National Archives and the Bibliotheca, photographic and audiovisual documentation, plans and drawings of the historic and present site, and scale models of MICAS.
Minister for Culture, Lands and Local Government Owen Bonnici, who opened the exhibition, said the exhibition was not only a documentation of the development of a cultural infrastructural project, but also the realisation of Malta’s ambition to claim its place in the international dialogue of contemporary art.
“National prosperity certainly cannot be measured only in economic terms, but also with the spaces that allow people’s imagination and creativity to flourish. It is my pleasure to once again see these transformed spaces becoming the home of our contemporary cultural ambitions, and the cradle for a future shaped through the power of artistic vision,” he said.
“These fortifications, once shaped by the logic of defence, beckoned for transformation into spaces of creative possibility”
MICAS executive chairperson Phyllis Muscat said the exhibition celebrated both the conviction that inspired an institution that honours Maltese contemporary art, and the vision to turn the Floriana Lines into a new, creative space.
“These fortifications, once shaped by the logic of defence, beckoned for transformation into spaces of creative possibility. Today MICAS stands as proof that small nations can dream large dreams, with Malta claiming its rightful place in the international cultural conversation,” she said.
While the creation of a suitable contemporary arts museum had always been a long-held wish for Malta’s artistic community, it was only in 2013 that the Coordinating Board for Cultural Projects, chaired by Muscat, embarked on the creation of the MICAS agency. MICAS broke ground in 2018, and opened in 2024 with a grand exhibition by the celebrated Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos.
Deputy chairperson Georgina Portelli said the exhibition – the third one this year – will delight those with a passion for history and architecture, but also the general public, who will learn how these ancient walls were brought to life once again.
“Many of Malta’s historic sites remain underused or unrestored. The MICAS board took the decision to integrate rather than reinvent the old Ospizio site here in Floriana. Instead of pursuing the ‘Bilbao effect’ with a high-profile landmark for spectacle, we preserved our Maltese heritage and enhanced it,” she said.
She added that MICAS’s design acknowledges the site’s military history.
“Barbara’s Arch, which once marked the boundary between the fortified land and the sea, is today a visual gateway that links the museum to Marsamxett Harbour,” Portelli continued.
“Carlo Terpolilli and his team at IPO Studio understood this poetry of place. The glass and steel roof, and the contemporary galleries, embrace the ancient limestone, integrated within the terraces of the Ritirata itself. The MICAS design has allowed us to reveal the history of the Floriana Lines, inside a space where contemporary art can flourish.”
More information on how to visit MICAS, admission times and prices can be found at Micas.art/visit-us.,
