Just a stone’s throw away from the historic entrance to Valletta lies MICAS (Malta International Contemporary Art Space), the island’s most ambitious cultural project to date. Rising from the beautifully restored Ospizio Complex in Floriana, this striking four-story gallery has officially opened its doors with a spellbinding debut: an exhibition by internationally acclaimed Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos.

Vasconcelos, celebrated for her larger-than-life installations that marry handcrafted artistry with everyday objects, brings her monumental works to MICAS in spectacular fashion. As the youngest and first female artist to exhibit at the Palace of Versailles, a landmark achievement that attracted over 1.6 million visitors in 2012, her career spans three decades of sculptural innovation, bold creativity, and a distinctly feminist perspective. Now, Malta has the privilege to host her immersive and thought-provoking creations in this brand-new space.

A Journey Through Scale and Meaning

At MICAS, Vasconcelos’ installations transform the gallery into a universe where the familiar becomes extraordinary. Her work thrives on contrasts: artisanal techniques such as crochet, embroidery, and knitting are juxtaposed with industrial objects and everyday materials to create colossal yet delicate masterpieces. This interplay challenges perceptions of ‘feminine’ crafts, elevating the ordinary into profound social commentary.

The exhibition opens with Valkyrie Mumbet, a monumental textile installation named after Elizabeth “Mum Bett” Freeman, an enslaved African-American woman whose legal fight for freedom in 1781 helped to abolish slavery in Massachusetts. Part of Vasconcelos’ ongoing Valkyries series, inspired by the female warriors of Norse mythology, the work pays tribute to women’s resilience and untold histories. Its sprawling, organic forms all created from bright fabrics, textiles, and intricate stitching, breathe life into the new gallery, their vivid outlines both ethereal and profoundly human.

Equally impressive is Tree of Life, an imposing installation located on MICAS’ lowest level. Composed of 110,000 hand-embroidered leaves, fungi, and branches, it exemplifies the painstaking detail and immense scale that define Vasconcelos’ oeuvre. The work celebrates nature’s beauty and fragility while prompting visitors to reflect on their own connection to the environment. Accompanied by a hauntingly evocative musical composition performed by baritone Rui de Luna Vasconcelos, Tree of Life delivers a multi-sensory experience that lingers long after you leave.

Art That Speaks to the Soul

Vasconcelos’ art is rooted in duality. it blurs boundaries between the personal and political, the domestic and monumental, the playful and contemplative. This exhibition invites visitors to pause and consider the overlooked: the home, women’s work, and the societal norms we often take for granted. By reimagining humble materials like fabrics, kitchenware, and mass-produced objects, Vasconcelos creates works that resonate deeply, turning the mundane into a powerful tool for commentary and connection.

Her creations pose questions that linger long after viewing: What defines art? How do cultural expectations shape our identities? And what might life look like if we embraced creativity over conformity? Works such as Valkyrie Mumbet and Tree of Life don’t provide answers, instead, they immerse visitors in a state of awe and wonder, offering a welcome pause for introspection in today’s busy, modern world.