The island of Menorca is one of nature’s masterpieces, and in recent years it has become a hotbed of contemporary art galleries, earning it the nickname of “The Island of Art”.
Although Menorca has always been a place of residence and inspiration for artists, never before has there been such a large number of art galleries and artistic projects at the same time.
The big change came in 2021 with the inauguration of the international gallery Hauser & Wirth. An idyllic project located on the small Isla del Rey (King’s Island), in the port of Mahón, with an early challenging start that finally became a reality thanks to the determination of the visionary couple Iwan and Manuela Wirth, founders of the mega-gallery that has a presence in numerous countries.
Hauser & Wirth opened its doors with an unprecedented exhibition by Mark Bradford (one of the most important artists on the world scene) which from the very first moment positioned the gallery as one of the most important in the world and as a must-see tourist spot in Menorca. And continuing with its determination to remain at the top of the list, for the 2022 season the gallery offers us an exhibition designed exclusively for the occasion and by an artist of no less importance than Rashid Johnson.
The fact that the island can only be reached by boat, together with its stupendous gastronomic offerings and the fact that we can enjoy the sculptures of iconic artists such as Louise Bourgeois or Chillida, in its gardens, make the experience of the visit one of the best cultural programmes to enjoy in Menorca.
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And following in the wake of Hauser & Wirth’s arrival in Menorca, the Cayón Gallery arrived on the island to delight us with one of the most interesting art spaces on the island, in addition to its other two galleries in Madrid and Manila.
The Cayón brothers renovated the historic building that housed the old Victoria cinema to convert it into an impressive modern art gallery with a colossal hall, where world-class artists such as Dan Flavin, Fred Sandback, Stanley Whitney, Yves Klein, David Margán, Cruz-Diez and Joel Shapiro have exhibited their work.
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And among all this feast of showrooms, art galleries and art spaces, we would like to highlight a very interesting project located in the port of Mahón: ATICA. It is a contemporary art gallery nourished by local artists such as Pol Marban, David Morros, James Abaddon or Joel Llopis, which proposes a dialogue that shortens the distance between the artist and the spectator, with an underlying transgressive air.
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And finally, it would be unfair not to mention the pioneering contemporary art galleries in Menorca, which existed before all the current hype of new offerings.
Among these precursors, the Encant Gallery, founded in 2001 and directed by Elvira González, is undoubtedly the most legendary. An old Menorcan house full of charm which houses a very exquisite collection of art that is updated throughout the year and which counts among its ranks artists such as Piers Jackson, Rita Moreno, José Ángel Sintes and Takeshi Motomiya.
Continuing on, we will try to mention the rest of the existing art galleries, both the oldest and the most recent ones.
Museum of contemporary art LÔAC, the most important museum and cultural reference in Menorca. A privilege for the Balearic Islands where we can enjoy works by masters of the history of painting such as Miró, Antoni Tàpies, Juan Gris, Antonio López, and Barceló among many others.
Galería Kroma one of the oldest galleries in Menorca where figurative and modern art coexist.
Galería VidrArt is a pioneering gallery of prestige on the west coast of the island. Its portfolio combines figurative and contemporary artists.
Galería Artara one of Menorca’s oldest galleries representing local artists and offering framing services.
Galería Cohle a contemporary art gallery based in Paris representing emerging artists.
The Flat a new gallery offering a fresh repertoire of new artists, mainly Pop style.
Galería 10N avant-garde contemporary art proposal of recent appearance.
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