Decadence, Now.

Decadence, Now. by City of Art, explored key relationships between exponential European visual artists, musicians and writers from the Belle Epoque Period who symbiotically inspired each other’s work into visionary manifestations of beauty.

This project was one part contemporary art reaction installation and one part concert series, aiming to argue that decadence is more than a compendium of the transgressive themes and images by which it is usually identified; a zeitgeist which has been carried on well into the twenty-first century, seeking to reposition artefacts, reconstruct narratives and reopen artistic debates through visual, sung and spoken conversations; creating a friction and a presence that is expressed by a number of collaborators investigating a common theme.

Essentially aiming to produce a high-quality and engaging programme of events ranging from exhibitions featuring loaned artefacts from acclaimed European museums to a weekly series of salon recitals; Decadence, Now. seeked to create a sustainable, research-based platform which supports collaboration and opens up possibilities for internationalisation and an open multicultural discourse promoting exploration and plurality.

Decadence, Now. explored key relationships between exponential European visual artists, musicians and writers from the Belle Epoque Period who symbiotically inspired each other’s work into visionary manifestations of beauty.

Architect Andrew Borg Wirth, couturier and fashion historian Luke Azzopardi, pianist Lucia Micallef, soprano Gillian Zammit, and theatre director Denise Mulholland were the curators of Decadence, Now. which featured contemporary reactions from architect Michael Zerafa, poet and writer Maria Theuma, composer Karl Fiorini, Azzopardi, Borg Wirth and performances by world class Italian tenor Raffaele Abete and German baritone André Morsch.

Decadence, Now by City of Art took place at the Malta Society of Arts between 11th and 31st of May 2023.