A New Gothic is the fourth and boldest exhibition to date by emerging contemporary figurative painter Gulja Holland.

The show brings together Holland’s ongoing series of surreal paintings dealing with gender, social well-being and climate crises, completed in the UK, Portugal and Malta.

Taking place at Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta, the show is curated by Andrew Borg Wirth and will be inaugurated by art historian and highly esteemed curated Kathleen Soriano.

It opens on Friday 14th April from 7pm onwards.

When: From Friday 14th April, 7pm

Where: Spazju Kreattiv Valletta

2. MARA

The Bureau Inalia, together with Marie Gallery5 is teaming up with il-lokal to showcase 15 female contemporary artists in a show aptly called Mara, and it’s not to be missed.

Celebrating the finest of female talent on the islands, this second edition of Mara brings together artists and creative studios leaving their mark on the local art scene through their diverse media, processing and narratives.

The artists exhibiting are Thea Vella, Katie Sims, Sasha Vella, Ioulia Chante, Leanne Lewis, Gulja Holland, Kamy Aquilina, Louisa Chircop, Debbie Bonello, Sofia Kuzmenko, Aprille Zammit, Therese Debono, Shanice Farrugia, Wioletta Kulewska and Nicole Sciberras Debono.

When: From Friday 14th April at 7.30pm

Where: Bureau Inalia, Valletta

3. EVERYDAY PEOPLE by IELLA

If illustrative styles are your thing, then this Sliema show is worth checking out.

London-based Maltese artist IELLA showcases 15 years of life drawing from the illustrator’s stylistic approach. The show follows the artist’s journey starting at evening sessions in Malta to her eventual embrace of the vibrant London drawing scene. From portraits to nudes, each piece celebrates the simple joys of life drawing.

When: Until 27th April

Where: Christine X, Sliema

4. SOLASTALGIA

Solastalgia is a multidisciplinary research project by Glen Calleja and Ryan Falzon., led by grief, nostalgia and stereotypes as pillars of reflection.

It delves into the seasonal identities and the long-held perceptions about the Maltese summer and the islands as a dreamy Mediterranean paradise. It is shaped by promotional campaigns that push Malta as a dreamy island, stereotypes of friendly, mellow characters and ruralism.

When: From 15th April, at 7pm

Where: Studio Solipsis, Rabat

5. ALEXANDRA ALDEN X CHRIS RIDDELL

R Gallery in Sliema may be gearing up for its next exhibition next week, but it is hosting an off-event with singer-songwriter Alexandra Alden and celebrity illustrator Chris Riddell this Saturday.

The intimate, exclusive evening promises to be a transformative experience. While Riddell interprets Alden’s sonic world with his pens, Alden will play tracks from her albums Wild Honey (2018) and Leads to Love (2021).

Meanwhile, keep your eyes peeled for their next exhibition, Event & Being, a solo show by Norbert Francis Attard opening Thursday 20th April.

When: Saturday 15th April, 7 pm

Where: R Gallery, Sliema

6. From Chaos We Are Borne

‘From Chaos, We are Borne’ is a solo exhibition by painter Karl Fröman, at the little Southern art nook called Il-Kamra Ta’ Fuq.

It connects chaotic the elements of our development and the order that gives it life, with plays on literature from Ayn Rand, Merleau-Ponty, and back to Carl Jung. Questioning the role of the artist as the archetypal tricker, the master painter and the more intuitive wisdom of the subconscious. It is curated by Melanie Erixon.

When: From Thursday 13th onwards

Where: Il-Kamra Ta’ Fuq, Mqabba

Tag someone who needs to head to one of these exhibitions this weekend