Ibiza’s longest-running art festival, BLOOP, is back with its 2023 edition under the motto “Believe”.
The initiative has brightened up previously overlooked spaces all over the island – such as tower block facades, concrete walls and dark tunnels – with colourful, larger-than-life murals and provocative slogans for more than a decade.
Many Ibiza residents and White Isle lovers will, of course, recognise permanent displays such as the sarky “VIP is a loser concept” outside Pikes Ibiza, or the ferocious eagle and snake glaring down on those pass through the mountain tunnel in the Los Molinos area of Ibiza Town.
Thanks to a special collaboration of Endesa and with the support of the Consell d’Eivissa and the municipalities of Sant Josep and Eivissa, in 2023 the famous cultural event will continue its mission to turn the island into a living, breathing display of art, featuring activities in urban spaces such as exhibitions, murals, installations, and music. This year, the international line-up of participating creatives includes the likes of Silva Ramacci, Said Dokins, Zsar, Malarky, Amadama, Reves One, Inimaginable Studio, Supe, and Telenova.
Running until August 25th, Bloop International Proactive Art Festival 2023 will include an array of exciting initiatives, which include the OpenAir.Gallery developed by Biokip Labs. With the aim to connect with new audiences, the official festival app has received a significant update that incorporates augmented reality functionality.
Enhancing the OpenAir.Gallery experience, the new app allows users to take a tour through an interactive map of murals painted on the island in various editions, providing information about the year of creation and the artist. The free app is available for both Android and Apple users.
To further elevate the OpenAir.Gallery project, which has transformed degraded and / or iconic places in Ibiza over the last 13 years with over 60 large-scale murals, BLOOP has joined forces with Endesa this year to provide a series of electrical transformation centres scattered across the island. These include the facade of Endesa’s power plant in Ibiza Town, a space of over 500 square meters that will be transformed into artistic canvases for artists to showcase their creativity.
Additionally, the 2023 BLOOP activation provides the opportunity for citizens and island visitors to explore an ephemeral exhibition inside the power plant. Titled “Ephemeral Electricities,” this exhibition takes place in a disused warehouse of the power plant, featuring works by Biokip Labs, Silva Ramacci, Said Dokins, Telenova, and Amadama. Prior registration is essential to visit the exhibition, with three time slots available at 18:00, 19:00, and 20:00 – from August 18th to 20th only.
Part of the collaboration with the Sant Josep Town Council, BLOOP also presents the “Trust Your Eyes” exhibition at the Auditori Caló de S’Olí. Supported by Telenova, the exhibition presents itself as an emporium of acid tones based on biases that distort the viewer’s vision. The display can be visited from August 16th to 23rd in the Cala de Bou auditorium, described by María José Ribas, Counsellor of Culture at the Sant Josep Town Council, as “an area with a new identity closely linked to the values of the BLOOP Festival.”
Integrating music as an essential medium of Ibiza’s urban and proactive art festival from the beginning, there will also be a sunset musical session at much loved sunset spot Kumharas in collaboration with Ibiza Sonica. Featuring Mark Broadbent, musical director of the legendary We Love Sundays sessions at the now defunct Space nightclub, and Andy Wilson, one of Ibiza Sonica’s renowned music selectors, BLOOP’N’SUNSETS feat. Ibiza Sonica will take place on Friday, August 18th, starting from 19:00.
“After 13 consecutive years in Ibiza and despite the enormous difficulties in organising this year due to political changes, BLOOP remains strong and determined to continue being a completely free and inclusive event, showcasing all kinds of art, understandable to everyone and conveying a message, which this year is BELIEVE,” says Matteo Amadio, founder and director of BLOOP International Proactive Festival, who thanked the collaborating institutions for their trust in the unique project in the world.
For further information visit www.bloop-festtival.com. To register for the “Ephemeral Electricities” display head to www.biokiplabs.com/BloopFestival/ephemeral-electricities-exhibition.
