An introduction to the narrative

Abstract

The thematic title of the curatorial narrative is inspired by the island of Malta itself, its historical origins and its spatial presence in contemporary reality within the Mediterranean Sea. The word derives from one of the possible interpretations of the origins of the name of Malta; Maleth. Maleth, a Phoenician word, evokes the primeval origins of the island's existence and literally translates to Haven or Port, a quality the island inspired to all that traversed the waters of the Mediterranean Sea through the ages and that continues to withstand throughout the island's history. The locus taken over by the Malta Pavilion within the building of the venetian arsenale, transforms into a haven, a port for the different works of art that will be hosted within it, exploring the notion of heteropia providing a challenging array of contemporary interpretations of homeness / (un) homeness.