The Malta International Contemporary Art Space (MICAS) is attracting international attention, with Reggie Burrows Hodges: Mela recognised among the top five art exhibitions to see in Europe this summer.

The exhibition, which marks Californian artist Reggie Burrows Hodges’ first European solo show, has received praise from leading contemporary art publications Frieze and Artsy, further highlighting Malta’s growing position on the international contemporary art scene.

Frieze included Mela among its must-see exhibitions for August, praising the way Hodges’ monumental and smaller works interact with MICAS’s distinctive architecture. Spread across four floors of historic limestone, glass and steel, the exhibition creates striking visual connections throughout the galleries.

Art historian Melissa Baksh, writing for Frieze, described Hodges’ works as creating ‘worlds within worlds’, with faceless figures emerging from and disappearing into darkness. She also highlighted the artist’s meditation on Malta’s character, describing the paintings as reflecting the island’s enduring spirit and relationship with the sea.

Artsy, meanwhile, selected Mela as one of the Mediterranean’s must-see exhibitions for summer 2026, placing MICAS alongside major cultural destinations including Barcelona’s Casa Batlló and Marseille’s Vieille Charité.

The exhibition features 30 new paintings created after Hodges relocated his studio to Malta for two years, drawing inspiration from the island’s coastline, construction workers and distinctive light.

Among its highlights is a monumental work inspired by Caravaggio’s The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist, housed at St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta.

The international recognition further cements MICAS’s growing reputation as a destination for contemporary art.

Have you been to any exhibitions this summer?