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Elyse Tonna

@elysetonna

3.5K

followers

1471

following

curator+architect
+ co-curator 🇲🇹 pavilion @labiennale ‘24 @iwillfollowtheship
+ @axis_artgallery @kampusajf
+ @ummalta @mcastmt

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Still in disbelief. Deeply humbled and grateful that I WILL FOLLOW THE SHIP (@iwillfollowtheship) has won the @artscouncilmalta Best International Achievement Award ✨
(and yes… we had massive stagefright 😂 we’re definitely not accustomed to being on stage, but some thank yous are very well deserved)

The journey of I WILL FOLLOW THE SHIP - the Malta Pavilion at @labiennale, was definitely not an easy one. Aside from everything, it demanded lots of perseverance, resilience and focus; we had huge responsibility to represent our country, our communities and the work we do. To see this project resonate so widely has meant more than we can say 💛

Being voted among the Top 10 pavilions across major internationally acclaimed reviews (@guardian, @forbes, @theartnewspaper.official, @artribune, @ilgiornaledellarte) and becoming the only pavilion from the Venice Biennale to make it to the @dezeen Top 10 exhibitions worldwide in 2024, was already an incredible honour. To receive this award on local grounds, is a privilege.

A very special thank you to @_matthew_attard_ for your vision (pun intended), dedication and trust and for carrying this project with such commitment from the very beginning. I’m so proud of you!

This award feels like a moment to pause, acknowledge the work and say THANK YOU 🙏🏼. Thank you to everyone who believed in the project, supported it, collaborated on it and carried it forward in ways seen and unseen.

Your trust and commitment shaped everything.

Onwards with our journeys. Where shall we sail to next? ⚓️⛵️ taken in Venice, Italy by @elysetonna

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10 months ago

Last week to visit DREAM[of]LAND @spazjukreattiv - an interdisciplinary project commissioned by @spazjukreattiv and supported by @artscouncilmalta @iiclavalletta and @culturemoveseurope

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Curators: @elysetonna @sarahchircop
Project Manager: @margeritapule
Venue: Spazju Kreattiv, Space A
Open until 21st April 2024

Participating Artists: @femmy_otten @florence_peake @lalalacollective @connected2r4k @sephschembri.earth @noah.fabri @atelier__dashatsapenko @fpbarch

Visual Identity and Photography: @lisa_attard

Project Team: @akka.mahra @xi.pjacir @nielsplotardwork

📸 Lisa Attard taken in Valletta, Malta by @elysetonna

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3 years ago

Chasing ships with @_matthew_attard_ since 2021, now they are continuously generating at @labiennale as part of the @iwillfollowtheship - the Malta Pavilion at the 60th edition of the Venice Biennale, commissioned by @artscouncilmalta

📸 @eoingreally
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#labiennale #labiennaledivenezia #biennalearte #labiennaledivenezia2024 #venice #biennale #venicebiennale #iwillfollowtheship #maltapavilion2024 #maltapavilion24 #maltapavilionvenicebiennale2024 #shipgraffiti #eyedrawing #arsenale #contemporaryart #art #venezia #veniceitaly #artwork #foreignerseverywhere taken in La Biennale di Venezia by @elysetonna

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2 years ago

What Moves Between Us
Artist Spotlight: Tina Mifsud
Works: "Mole di Narni"; "At Your Leisure"; "Looking is Allowed"; "On Display"; "Growing On You"; "To My Taste"; "A Learned Desire" (2026)

This body of work shifts towards the female gaze, centring men as subjects of desire, tenderness and distance. Through painting, the male figure is repositioned within a space of observation that is both intimate and unresolved. Romanticised yet withheld, the figures are caught in quiet, ambiguous moments that resist narrative closure.
The works reflect on the suppression of women’s emotional and physical needs, creating scenes that are elusive and psychologically charged. Desire is present but not fully articulated, allowing the viewer to remain in a state of uncertainty, drawn into a gaze that is soft, questioning and quietly confrontational.

Tina Mifsud is a Maltese artist based between Malta and Rome. Working across painting, sculpture and printmaking, her practice moves between figuration and abstraction and is grounded in processes of documentation and material translation. Her work explores intimacy, memory and belonging through the body and landscape. Mifsud recently completed an MA in Fine Arts at RUFA – Rome University of Fine Arts.
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What Moves Between Us
Curated by @elysetonna
On view until 15 November.

Monday–Friday [10:00–19:00]
Saturday [10:00–13:00] & [16:00-19:00]
Sunday [10:00–13:00]

Featuring:
@kme_11
@sarahfilmdiary
@iljunfantroza
@giola_cassar
@tina_darmanin25
@yanafenech
@ninagerada
@guljaholland
@teemif
@luciaseifertart
@rasha.zc_arts
@_jade_zammit_

📷@lisa_attard (1,2); @elisa_von_bee (3)

#whatmovesbetweenus #axis_ by @elysetonna

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3 days ago

What Moves Between Us
Artist Spotlight: Ġulja Holland
Works: "Pisces Rising II" (2024); "The Tidal II" (2024); "Three Graces" (2025)

Drawing on memories of snorkelling in the Mediterranean, Pisces Rising II depicts a shoal of fish moving with the coherence of a single body. Individual movement becomes inseparable from that of the collective, proposing interdependence as a form of intelligence in which survival relies on cooperation rather than hierarchy.

Borrowing its title from the Greek mythological figures associated with beauty, generosity and harmony, Three Graces turns towards species more commonly met with fear or perceived lack of consciousness. A fish, sea snake and hammerhead shark are reconsidered through the unexpected beauty and emotional register of scientific X-ray imagery. The work questions the hierarchies through which empathy is distributed across species and the tendency to recognise value only where we can identify qualities familiar to ourselves.

Ġulja Holland is a Maltese painter whose work explores the shifting relationship between humanity, nature and mythology. She holds an MA in Painting from the Royal College of Art, London and a BA (Hons) in Fine Art from Leeds Arts University. Her work has been exhibited internationally, including at Compton Verney, Spazju Kreattiv, EY Projects Shanghai, Omnu Creative Houses, R Gallery Berlin and the Malta Pavilion at the Malta Biennale 2026.
Holland has recently undertaken the Turps Summer Residency in London and is the recipient of multiple Arts Council Malta grants and awards.
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What Moves Between Us
Curated by @elysetonna
On view until 15 November.

Monday–Friday [10:00–19:00]
Saturday [10:00–13:00] & [16:00-19:00]
Sunday [10:00–13:00]

Featuring:
@kme_11
@sarahfilmdiary
@iljunfantroza
@giola_cassar
@tina_darmanin25
@yanafenech
@ninagerada
@guljaholland
@teemif
@luciaseifertart
@rasha.zc_arts
@_jade_zammit_

📷@lisa_attard

#whatmovesbetweenus #axis_ taken in The Butler's House by @elysetonna

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4 days ago

The last month to go see the work up @axis_artgallery.
Thankyou @elysetonna for the lovely curatorial tour providing insight to all the work. #giolacassar by @elysetonna

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5 days ago

🍃 Hear more about this year’s edition of Beyond What Drifts Us Apart, @elysetonna shares more about the artists, the ethos and thematics tackled this year.

🤳🏻 Sign up to the newsletter to stay up to date on the programming, events & open studios. 🔗 Link in bio.

🍃Beyond What Drifts Us Apart 🍃
05.10.2026 - 02.11.2026
Curated by Elyse Tonna (@elysetonna)
Artists-in-Residence Bettina Hutschek (@bettina_hutschek), Julian Micallef (@_julianmicallef), Martina Georgina (@martinageorginatekla), Sébastien Schnyder (@sebastien_schnyder)

BWDUA Studio, Rabat, Gozo (close to Teatru Astra)👉 https://maps.app.goo.gl/Qzsr6TeEw8Yfmder5

🎥 : @cedricvellafilms

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🇪🇺 Co-financed by the EU and supported by Relax in Gozo.

#MagicCarpets #creativeeurope @magiccarpets.eu

This project has been funded by the NGO Co-Financing Fund (NCF) managed by the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector (MCVS @mcvs_malta) supported by the Ministry for Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector (MIV). by @elysetonna

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6 days ago

🍃 Beyond What Drifts Us Apart is evolving regularly, stay in the loop for this year's edition.

🤳 Sign up to our newsletter via the link in bio to keep up to date on all our latest events, opportunities & residency news.

🍃Beyond What Drifts Us Apart 🍃
05.10.2026 - 02.11.2026
Curated by Elyse Tonna (@elysetonna)
Artists-in-Residence Bettina Hutschek (@bettina_hutschek), Julian Micallef (@_julianmicallef), Martina Georgina (@martinageorginatekla), Sébastien Schnyder (@sebastien_schnyder)

BWDUA Studio, Rabat, Gozo (close to Teatru Astra)👉 https://maps.app.goo.gl/Qzsr6TeEw8Yfmder5

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🇪🇺 Co-financed by the EU and supported Relax in Gozo.

#MagicCarpets #creativeeurope @magiccarpets.eu

This project has been funded by the NGO Co-Financing Fund (NCF) managed by the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector (MCVS @mcvs_malta) supported by the Ministry for Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector (MIV). by @elysetonna

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7 days ago

Join us for the curatorial programming which engages with the various thematic facets which define Chapters from the Technosphere.

Details below

🔵Curatorial Tours: Chapters from the Technosphere
Led by Sheldon Saliba & Elyse Tonna
Tour 1 - 15th October, 18:00
Tour 2 - 24th October, 10:00

🔵Material Value in Chapter 1: Material Worlds
In collaboration with Matthew Catania from Ambitious Lab
22nd October, 18:00

Chapters from the Technosphere: Reimagining Ways of Living
📅 Friday 11th September - Sunday 1st November 2026
📍 Spazju Ċ, Spazju Kreattiv, Valletta

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Team
Artist + Co-researcher: @sheldonsaliba.work
Curator + Co-researcher: @elysetonna
Project Manager: @pao_pri5
Communications & Outreach Coordinator: @phake.curator
Branding & Design: @2point3
Videography: @ka.m.era
Collaborating Artists: @samuelciantar, @naqara_ & @connected2r4k, @martinafarrugia, @_julianmicallef
Supported by @artscouncilmalta
Hosted by @spazjukreattiv
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This project is part of the Spazju Kreattiv programme 2026-27, supported by the Arts Council Malta, CBK Rotterdam (Centre for Visual Arts Rotterdam), Culture Moves Europe, Aġenzija Żgħażagħ, WÜRTH Malta, Ambitious and AC Aquatics. This work was produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The views expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Union. by @elysetonna

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8 days ago

🙌Thank you to everyone who joined us to learn about this year's edition of Beyond What Drifts Us Apart! We heard from curator Elyse Tonna, and all the artists Bettina Hutschek, Julian Micallef, Martina Georgina, Sébastien Schnyder who introduced their work and process to the audience.

👀 Keep an eye out for events, workshops and open studios throughout this month! Save the dates 👇
Tuesdays, 16:00-19:00
Saturdays, 16:00-19:00
Sundays, 10:00-13:00

Residency closing 1.11.2026 | 6:00pm - 9:00pm
BWDUA Studio, Rabat, Gozo (close to Teatru Astra)👉 https://maps.app.goo.gl/Qzsr6TeEw8Yfmder5

🍃Beyond What Drifts Us Apart 🍃
5.10.2026 - 1.11.2026
Curated by Elyse Tonna (@elysetonna)
Artists-in-Residence Bettina Hutschek (@bettina_hutschek), Julian Micallef (@_julianmicallef), Martina Georgina (@martinageorginatekla), Sébastien Schnyder (@sebastien_schnyder)

📸: @zea_galea_photography

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🇪🇺 Co-financed by the EU and supported Relax in Gozo.
#MagicCarpets #creativeeurope @magiccarpets.eu
This project has been funded by the NGO Co-Financing Fund (NCF) managed by the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector (MCVS @mcvs_malta ) supported by the Ministry for Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector (MIV). by @elysetonna

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8 days ago

What Moves Between Us
Artist Spotlight: Nina Gerada
Work: "Roma" (2022)

Composed of individually painted and carved ceramic blocks, Roma forms a fragmented, dream-like landscape informed by archaeological excavations, architectural plans and typeset printing blocks. Shifts in scale, texture and pattern move between solid and void, positive and negative imprint, presence and absence. Rather than reconstructing a particular place, the work considers how memory is constructed through fragments and traces. Its modular structure recalls the partial nature of archaeological knowledge, where what remains becomes a means of approaching what has disappeared, and where absence participates as much as material presence in how histories are read.

Nina Gerada is a Maltese artist, designer and educator whose career spans film production design, urban design, architecture and sculpture. After 22 years abroad, her return to Malta has become a central focus within her work. Gerada studied at Chelsea College of Art, the Bartlett School of Architecture at UCL and London Metropolitan University and is a Higher Education Teaching Fellow. Her work has been exhibited at the Malta Art Biennale, the Malta Society of Arts, the British Ceramics Biennial and Collect in London.
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What Moves Between Us
Curated by @elysetonna
On view until 15 November.

Monday–Friday [10:00–19:00]
Saturday [10:00–13:00] & [16:00-19:00]
Sunday [10:00–13:00]

Featuring:
@kme_11
@sarahfilmdiary
@iljunfantroza
@giola_cassar
@tina_darmanin25
@yanafenech
@ninagerada
@guljaholland
@teemif
@luciaseifertart
@rasha.zc_arts
@_jade_zammit_

📷@lisa_attard

#whatmovesbetweenus #axis_ taken in The Butler's House by @elysetonna

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8 days ago

🍃Enter the cave, dissect the concepts and find out more about the research process with Sheldon Saliba & Elyse Tonna during the curatorial tours.

🔵Curatorial Tours: Chapters from the Technosphere
Led by Sheldon Saliba & Elyse Tonna

Tour 1 - 15th October, 18:00
Tour 2 - 24th October, 10:00
🔗 Booking required here 👉 https://forms.gle/NZKmo9c5jAJ1kWge7
📍 Spazju Ċ, Spazju Kreattiv

Chapters from the Technosphere: Reimagining Ways of Living
📅 Friday 11th September - Sunday 1st November 2026
📍 Spazju Ċ, Spazju Kreattiv, Valletta

-

Team
Artist + Co-researcher: @sheldonsaliba.work
Curator + Co-researcher: @elysetonna
Project Manager: @pao_pri5
Communications & Outreach Coordinator: @phake.curator
Branding & Design: @2point3
Videography: @ka.m.era
Collaborating Artists: @samuelciantar, @naqara_ & @connected2r4k, @martinafarrugia, @_julianmicallef
Supported by @artscouncilmalta
Hosted by @spazjukreattiv

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This project is part of the Spazju Kreattiv programme 2026-27, supported by the Arts Council Malta, CBK Rotterdam (Centre for Visual Arts Rotterdam), Culture Moves Europe, Aġenzija Żgħażagħ, WÜRTH Malta, Ambitious and AC Aquatics. This work was produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The views expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Union. by @elysetonna

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10 days ago