Armenia will participate for the first time in the Malta International Biennale, which will take place from March 11 to May 29 under the theme “CLEAN/CLEAR/CUT.” Artist and sculptor Raffi Yedalian will represent the country with his installation “The Sound of What Was Never Seen.” curated by Sona Hovhannisyan.
The project was selected following a 2025 competition announced by Armenia’s Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports (MoESCS).
Yedalian’s piece, a sculptural and sound-based installation, invites audiences on a meditative virtual journey exploring the boundaries between the visible and the invisible, the present and the past.
Yedalian is a member of both the Armenian and Lebanese artists’ and sculptors’ unions. His body of work includes monuments, installations, and public art projects. In 2019, he won the Lorenzo il Magnifico Gold Medal at the XII Florence Biennale for “Reflection of an Enigmatic Mind.” In 2015, the Vatican’s Philatelic and Numismatic Office reproduced his painting “Saint Ignatius Maloyan” on a commemorative stamp. His works have been exhibited in Armenia, Arab countries, Europe, and the U.S., and are part of numerous museum collections and private holdings worldwide.
Curator Sona Hovhannisyan is co-founder of the Triangle of Collaboration (ToC) platform and a member of ICOM. Her curatorial approach emphasizes research, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and engagement with contemporary cultural discourse. She has participated in numerous international exhibitions, research projects, and biennials addressing contemporary art and territorial culture.
The commissioner of the Armenian pavilion is Svetlana Sahakyan, head of the Department of Contemporary Art and Publishing at the MoESCS. Armenia’s participation is also supported by its Embassy in Italy.
This year’s Malta Biennale will feature 47 creative projects selected from over 3,200 submissions representing 122 countries. The event includes 29 national and thematic pavilions, positioning the biennale as one of the region’s leading international cultural platforms.
