The exhibition The Voice of Leda blends ancient mythology with contemporary art, showcasing artist Wioletta Kulewska Akyel's work at Muza, the Malta National Community Art Museum, until 16 March.
Using abstract form and texture, Kulewska Akyel challenges traditional interpretations of the myth of Leda and the Swan, prompting reinterpretations of power, gender and narrative in a contemporary context.
The exhibition, curated by Margerita Pulè, is Kulewska Akyel's fourth solo show in Malta, and sees a continuation of her painterly preoccupation with abstracted form and colour as well as the inclusion of feather motifs and the use of textile as a quasi-sculptural material. Other partly visible forms, like shells, limbs, beaks and botanical forms are present alongside strong blues and natural pinks and oranges.
In 2024, Kulewska Akyel participated in the Malta Art Biennale with a large-scale painted tent-like installation evoking the earliest figurative cave paintings, through earth tones and natural materials.
In this new body of work, Kulewska Akyel has drawn inspiration from the 16th century Leda and the Swan after Michelangelo Buonarroti, currently displayed at Muza. Her large paintings echo the unsettling subject matter of the work, but push its meaning and implications to suggest an alternative meaning, and to shift the focus to Leda's experience and emotions within the story.
Ultimately, this exhibition grapples with the enduring impact of ancient myths on contemporary society, and attempts to find new meaning in classical imagery that is inherently problematic.
The exhibition is hosted by Heritage Malta, and supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Valletta.
Muza, the Malta National Community Art Museum is located at Auberge d'Italie on Merchant Street, Valletta, and is part of Heritage Malta.