APS MDINA BIENNALE 
13 November - 15 December 2023

Mediterranean Goddesses

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The APS Mdina Cathedral Contemporary Art Biennale is now entering its fourth edition under the artistic direction of Giuseppe Schembri Bonaci.

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Each edition builds upon the experiences of the previous editions by addressing thematic, aesthetic, and even technical issues of relevance to contemporary art. 

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The central ethos of the project is that of renewal and revision, seeking ways in which the arts may respond to contemporary global topics within a museum space famous for its traditional and religious works of art and artefacts.

 

In 2023, the Mdina Biennale will be re-igniting the significance of the Mediterranean as a geographical and cultural region, this time harking back to the multi-forms of mythological, religious, and spiritual deities. Hence the theme title of 'Mediterranean Goddesses'.

 
The theme of spiritual and species fertility, so rich within the concentrated Mediterranean soil and sea, can, albeit its utopian sub-text, offer an alternative to the political reality plaguing our world today. This notion develops upon the theme of the 2020 Mdina Biennale: 'Regaining a Paradise Lost: The Role of the Arts', and that of the 2017 edition: 'The Mediterranean: A Sea of Conflicting Spiritualities'. 

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The act of harking back to divinity, in whatever form, can be a modest but strong aesthetic reply to today's real apocalyptic planetary danger. It is a fascinating fact that throughout humankind's history, all Mediterranean hubs offered powerful mythological and religious forms related to fertility and to the defence and salvation of humankind. The twenty-first century is no different.

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As part of the Changing Gear project, an international conference focusing on Mediterranean Modern art will be organised in collaboration with the APS Mdina Contemporary Art Biennale, offering an opportunity for academics, researchers, and artists to engage with the history of Mediterranean Modern art and with the exhibition theme. The conference will be held on the 28th November, 2023.

 

The fourth edition is scheduled for Autumn 2023, opening from the 13th of November until 15th December.

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Click here to view the terms and conditions for participation.

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Poster of the open call for artists. 

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