The Chinese Cultural Pavilion of the Malta Biennale 2026 Opens: The “Realm of Clarity” Exhibition Interprets Oriental Wisdom of Ecology and Civilization

pubdate: 2026/3/14   author: zjam  source: zjam  click:

On the evening of March 11, local time, the historic Fort St. Elmo in Malta’s capital, Valletta, was brilliantly illuminated. Co-hosted by the China Cultural Center in Malta and the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism, and curated by ZJAM, the exhibition “Realm of Clarity: Ecological Foresight and Civilizational Exchange in Oriental Wisdom” (hereinafter referred to as the “Realm of Clarity” exhibition) was grandly inaugurated at the Chinese Cultural Pavilion of the Malta Biennale 2026. The exhibition is not only an international showcase of contemporary Chinese art but also a dialogue between Eastern and Western civilizations, using water as its medium.

The opening ceremony was held in the conference hall of Fort St. Elmo. Attendees included Zhang Zuo, Chinese Ambassador to Malta; Mario Cutajar, chairman of Heritage Malta and president of the Malta Biennale 2026; Chen Xiao, director of the China Cultural Center in Malta; Ying Jinfei, director of ZJAM and curator of the Chinese Cultural Pavilion; along with 100 guests from the political, business, cultural, educational, and tourism sectors in Malta. Earlier, Myriam Spiteri Debono, president of Malta, had specially visited the artworks in the Chinese Cultural Pavilion and engaged with the Chinese artists.

Ying Jinfei introducing the “Realm of Clarity” exhibition to Myriam Spiteri Debono (2nd from left) and Zhang Zuo (1st from right)

In his address, Zhang Zuo highlighted that civilization, like water, nourishes all things silently, and friendship, like a spring, flows far and long. Taking “water culture” as its narrative thread, the Chinese Cultural Pavilion vividly presents the profound insights of the Chinese civilization into nature and life. Ambassador Zhang invited the audience to appreciate a clean and beautiful China, a green and innovative China, the value of peaceful development, and the future of a better world. He highly praised the ecological concept of the Chinese Cultural Pavilion for not only aligning with the theme of the Malta Biennale but also demonstrating China’s firm commitment to harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature, as well as its steadfast devotion to promoting green innovation and sustainable development, during its modernization process.

Zhang Zuo, Chinese Ambassador to Malta

Chen Xiao emphasized in her address that Malta, as an important crossroads of Mediterranean civilizations, builds bridges between different civilizations with its profound historical heritage and inclusive cultural character. The artworks brought by Chinese artists are not only artistic expressions but also cultural dialogues, embodying the Chinese insights into nature, life, and the universe, and providing a new perspective for exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese and Maltese civilizations, as well as between Eastern and Western civilizations at large.

Chen Xiao, director of the China Cultural Center in Malta

In his address, Mario Cutajar thanked China for its active participation in the 2nd Malta Biennale. Despite their vast differences in size and long geographical distance, the two countries support each other and maintain a lasting friendship through cultural exchange platforms such as the Biennale. The Renaissance has made it clear that art can change society and influence generations. Among all global biennales, only the Malta Biennale is held within cultural heritage sites, enabling contemporary art to engage in dialogue with historical and cultural legacies. He hoped that such cultural and artistic spirit would be passed down through generations.

Mario Cutajar, chairman of Heritage Malta and president of the Malta Biennale 2026

In September 2025, the “Voyage of Art: China-Malta Children’s Art Exchange Exhibition” was successfully held at ZJAM, serving as a wonderful practice of people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and Malta. The current exhibition, entitled “Realm of Clarity”, takes “water” as its central theme and draws inspiration from the Daoist philosophy that “the highest good is like water.” Through artistic media rooted in nature and returning to nature, including water-based woodblock printing, Chinese ink painting, and watercolour, the exhibition presents the oriental wisdom of “harmony between man and nature” to the audience from around the world.
The splendid presentation of the Chinese Cultural Pavilion is not only a significant achievement in the deepening cultural and artistic exchanges between China and Malta but also a vivid practice in promoting dialogue and mutual learning between Eastern and Western civilizations in a contemporary context.
During the curator’s guided tour, Ying Jinfei vividly introducing the works of 13 Chinese artists to the guests attending the opening ceremony
The “Realm of Clarity” exhibition will run until May 29. Amid the gentle Mediterranean breeze and within the ancient stone walls of Fort St. Elmo, the spring of Chinese art flows quietly, nourishing hearts and connecting the world.