Matylda Jarosz Exhibition to Open at the Malta Society of Arts This August
Walking the Coastline, a solo exhibition by Matylda Jarosz, is on from 18 to 31 August 2026 at the Basement Vaults of the Malta Society of Arts, 219 Republic Street, Valletta.
Featuring approximately 15-20 works, including paintings, woven textile pieces and installation elements, the exhibition explores sustainable approaches to contemporary art through natural materials, walking-based research and a deep engagement with the Maltese landscape. The exhibition was developed over the course of Matylda Jarosz’s two-year MA in Fine Arts (Research) at the University of Malta, and, in the artist’s words: “It marks an important milestone in my artistic journey, bringing together different strands of research into one body of work.”
At the heart of the project are three interconnected strands of research. The first explores walking as an artistic and research methodology, using movement through Malta’s coastline as a way of observing, recording and understanding the place. The second focuses on material experimentation, transforming locally sourced natural materials into artworks through the creation of handmade pigments, textiles and installations. The third uses digital artistic practice to conceptually unify the strands, by exploring possible future landscapes and alternative relationships between people and the environment. Together, these approaches examine how contemporary art can connect ecological awareness, material knowledge and imagination.
Rather than treating the landscape simply as something to depict, Jarosz allows it to become an active collaborator in the making of each artwork: “These experiences became both the subject and the source of the work.” Rocks and soil collected during walks along Malta’s coastline are transformed into natural pigments, while locally sourced fibres and found organic materials become integral components of woven works and installations. Jarosz observes that: “Each piece carries physical traces of the places from which its materials originated.”
The works emerge through a dialogue between the artist’s intention and the unique characteristics of the natural materials: “Because many of these materials behave unpredictably, the making process involves experimentation, patience, and embracing uncertainty.” This process reflects the researcher’s wider interest in sustainable artistic practice, not only through the environmentally conscious use of natural materials but also through slower, more attentive ways of making and engaging with place.
One of the exhibition’s key works, Ground I, represents an important milestone in Jarosz’s practice. It is their first large-scale painting created with pigments ground from rocks, soil and other organic matter collected across Malta, on a handmade cotton canvas. The work marks the moment the artist realised the potential of self-made materials for larger, more ambitious artworks.
The textile series Intervals I-IV and the triptych Grid continue this exploration through fibre. Created from organic cotton and Maltese sheep wool, which the artist personally cleaned, processed and formed into strands by hand before weaving, these works investigate the relationship between local materials, traditional processes, and contemporary textile practice.
Another installation, Binding, incorporates naturally fallen Opuntia (prickly pear cactus) pads collected during walks across the island. Their delicate skeletal structures, reminiscent of woven lace, establish a dialogue between natural forms and handmade textiles, blurring the boundaries between landscape and craft.
Although sustainability lies at the centre of the project, Walking the Coastline is ultimately an invitation to look more closely at the environments that surround us. By transforming familiar materials into contemporary artworks, the exhibition encourages visitors to reconsider the value of what is often overlooked and to reflect on how art can foster new ways of relating to place. Jarosz further hopes that the exhibition will spark conversations about sustainability and the role that art could play in supporting this.
Dr Joe Borg, the President of the Malta Society of Arts, commented: “This is more than an exploration of sustainability – it is also an application of sustainability through practice. The MSA is also pleased to be offering two new courses by the artist as part of our upcoming winter schedule, where Matylda Jarosz will be sharing sustainable approaches to art-making.”
The exhibition is open on Monday, 3pm – 7pm; Tuesday, 4pm – 7pm; Wednesday, 9am – noon; Thursday, 9am – noon; Friday, 3pm – 7pm; and Saturday 9am – 1pm. Admission is free.
Further information can be found here!
