Megan Rooney Featured in Major Group Exhibition at Malta International Contemporary Art Space
Art enthusiasts tracking international contemporary art exhibitions will find a compelling presentation underway as the Malta International Contemporary Art Space (MICAS) in Valletta hosts A New Life Force. Running from 10 October 2026 through 31 January 2027, the major exhibition highlights three distinct painters gaining widespread recognition: Nathanaëlle Herbelin, Kemi Onabulé, and Megan Rooney.
Exploring Contemporary Painting Through Diverse Visual Languages
Curated by MICAS Artistic Director Edith Devaney, the exhibition underscores the institution's ongoing support for emerging talent at crucial junctures in their artistic journeys. Each of the featured practitioners brings a unique cultural background and visual language to the galleries, creating an engaging dialogue around modern and contemporary painting.
For this project, the participating artists developed new bodies of work inspired by direct encounters with Malta. Their pieces draw upon the island's distinct geography, deep history, and culture, effectively anchoring the exhibition within its Mediterranean surroundings.
What Visitors Can Expect at MICAS in Valletta
The exhibition layout is structured by Paris-based designer Cécile Degos, spreading across three gallery floors within the museum. Each artist is assigned a dedicated space. The venue's terrace-style architectural configuration allows visitors to observe individual works while drawing visual connections and contrasts between the different practices.
Canadian-born, London-based artist Megan Rooney contributes an entirely new body of work developed specifically for the museum's floating walls and upper galleries. Known for her multidisciplinary approach encompassing painting, installation, and performance, Rooney creates intensely layered canvases through a physically demanding cycle of applying and sanding down pigment, gesture, and colour. Her new paintings respond directly to the shifting daylight of the building's large glass ceiling and the luminosity of the galleries, integrating themes of memory, myth, and the ancient landscape.
For those planning cultural outings and looking to discover more regional highlights, Musemap (musemap.art) offers curated insights to help you explore local museums or find other cultural destinations via the interactive map view.
