Ancient mythology meets contemporary art in an exhibition by artist Wioletta Kulewska Akyel opening today at MUŻA, in Valletta.

Using abstract form and texture, The Voice of Leda 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.

Last year, 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 16-century Leda and the Swan after Michelangelo Buonarroti, currently displayed at MUŻA. 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, the 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, hosted by Heritage Malta and supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Valletta, runs until March 16.