With inimitable lighting, striking scenery and dazzling natural colours, the Balearic Islands have attracted artists from all over the world from as early as the 1950s and 1960s. And while a few decades later the clubbing headlines surrounding Ibiza began to shift the focus to the heady nightlife, the White Isle remains a magnetic spot for creatives.
Bringing a host of international exhibitors to the region, CAN Ibiza art fair returns for a second edition from the 12th – 16th July 2023 with the mission to “blend the excitement of the contemporary art scene with the easy-going attitude of the Mediterranean lifestyle.”
Taking over the Ibiza fairgrounds in UNESCO World Heritage Site Dalt Vila – just outside Ibiza’s fortified Old Town – CAN Ibiza 2023 has been curated by freelance writer and curator, Saša Bogojev, and organised by the team behind the UVNT art fair in Madrid.
The event will bring 37 galleries from all over the globe to Ibiza and Formentera to present the latest in contemporary art, with a focus on new and emerging artistic languages as well as more established artists.
Artists from across Europe, Asia, Australasia and the USA will be showcasing a rich variety of works, with a strong focus on painting at the fair including solo booths of work by Gianni di Rosa (Galerie Rolando Anselmi) Laust Højgaard (Galerie Droste x NBB Gallery) and Andrew Salgado (Beers London) amongst others.
CAN Ibiza OFF Week
For the first time, CAN Ibiza is also organising an OFF Programme in collaboration with the Formentera Paya Hotels foundation – a series of experiences that go beyond the fairgrounds themselves, and that have been announced alongside additional information about this year’s Ibiza Art Week.
With CAN at its heart, Ibiza Art Week will see local galleries, institutions and private collections organise special programming and events across the island. These include three exhibitions which extend through July, two of which will be located in Ibiza.
In the bay of Sant Antoni, the lighthouse-turned-museum Faro de ses Coves Blanques will display sculptures by Mallorcan artists Juliá Panades and paintings by Bel Fullana, in collaboration with the gallery Fran Reus of Mallorca.
Meanwhile, the cultural centre at Sa Punta des Molì will host an exhibition of paintings and sculptures by the Ibiza-based artist Jesús de Miguel. Both exhibitions are supported by Five Flowers Hotel & Spa in Formentera.
Speaking of Ibiza’s sister island, an exhibition of works by Mallorcan artist Ela Fidalgo will be displayed at the Blanco Hotel Formentera in Es Pujols.
Ibiza Art Week
Timed concurrently with the CAN Ibiza art fair, the emerging Ibiza Art Week will highlight local galleries, institutions and private collections that have organised a range of exhibitions and events across the island to give visibility to the vibrant cultural scene emerging on Ibiza.
Carl Kostyàl gallery, a participant in CAN for the second consecutive year, presents a pop-up exhibition, Painters of Modern Life at Casa Cardinale in Dalt Villa featuring artists Deborah Brown, Camila Engström, Alexander Guy, Jordy Kerwick, Hiroya Kurata, Maud Madsen, Jeremy Lawson, Koichi Sato and Tony Toscani.
Meanwhile, the art space Can Garita, which is located in a traditional fisherman’s hut, launches with an exhibition of paintings by the American artist Grason Ratowsky, who lives between Mallorca and New York.
La Nave Salinas Foundation launches a site-specific project by Jonny Niesche that sits halfway between installation and painting. Niesche is one of the most sought-after Australian artists and will also exhibit work at CAN Ibiza represented by The Hole gallery (New York/LA).
La Carpintería, the production and exhibition space of Ses12naus foundation, hosts a studio visit with Spanish artist-in-residence Andrés Izquierdo as well as Art Talks with Nina Beier and Simon Dybbroe Møllert.
MACE (Museo de arte Contemporáneo de Ibiza) presents Valkyrie Crown, an exhibition of large-format sculpture by Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos. Alongside CAN these collateral events promote the creation, production and enjoyment of contemporary art in Ibiza.
Sergio Sancho, Founding Director of CAN Ibiza, says, “We are delighted to be returning to the Ibiza fairgrounds for our second edition in July, building on the success of our inaugural fair which saw strong sales and visitor figures in the unique, sun-drenched island setting of Ibiza. ‘Can’ means ‘house of’ in Ibizan, and our aim is to make everyone feel at home.
“At CAN Ibiza we play host to the best of the current avant-garde art scene in a relaxed atmosphere that allows visitors to connect not only over the inspiring art but also the best music, food and nightlife the island has to offer. Ibiza has traditionally been a sanctuary for artists and creators and there is a growing gallery scene on the island that we are excited to be exploring through the fair’s OFF programme and the wider events of Ibiza Art Week.”
For further information visit contemporaryartnow.com.
