Mallorca

During your stay, you’ll be welcomed at the Palmyra Sculpture Centre and the neighbouring farm, Es Refugi.

The sculptures rise above the tall grass like deer in a field. It is a rugged Mediterranean terrain, with cacti, citrus, and olive trees whose roots are so strong they can pierce stone. The heart of the Palmyra Sculpture Centre lies in the Mallorcan hinterland, dominated by rocky outcrops that may sometimes block your view of the sea, but never the salty sea air.

This place was founded by sculptor Ien van Wierst, who, with the eye of a curator, brings together her love for sculpture and landscape. Many of the works were created on commission, yet the place radiates an effortless sense of freedom above all.

The annual XTANT Textile Heritage Festival is a mecca for textile lovers. This is a place where heritage and craft are celebrated, and where weavers, designers, and textile makers from across the globe gather.

Xtant, founded by Kavita Parmar and Marcella Echavarria, is renowned for its integrity, intimacy, and beauty. At the market, you’ll find the most exquisite handwoven fabrics, dyed with plants. And in the exhibition, you can discover breathtaking work by exceptional textile artists who use centuries-old techniques.

During your visit, you’ll meet Kavita Parmar and several participating artists, and you’ll have the opportunity to take part in a workshop.

The Catalan painter and sculptor Joan Miró (1893–1983) found his ideal workspace just outside Palma in 1956, on a cliff with sweeping views of the sea. His modernist studio and home, Son Boter, are now tranquil, but the graffiti on the walls keeps his creative spirit alive. The spectacular adjacent museum, designed in 1992 by Pritzker Prize–winner Rafael Moneo, shows Miró’s work and that of his artistic circle.

During this workshop, you’ll learn natural dyeing using materials from the surrounding nature. You’ll visit Christin Amann’s weaving studio in the nearby village of Alaró, where she will teach you about her techniques and help you choose the materials you’ll work with. Here, you’ll experiment with natural colours and textures, using wool from local sheep, and you’ll learn about traditional dyeing techniques from artists Amann and Julie van Riel.

Christin Amann’s work is characterised by an experimental approach, a sensitive use of colour, and her exclusive use of natural materials. She studied at the Kunsthochschule Weißensee in Berlin and has worked with, among others, Hella Jongerius. She lives and works in Mallorca, where she focuses on the weaving traditions of the Mediterranean islands.

Julie van Riel explores the alchemical transformation of natural materials. She works with plant-based dyes, mineral pigments, and raw fibers.

Using the collected and prepared materials, we’ll create small woven pieces in the garden of Palmyra, inspired by the rhythms of nature.

It may seem like alchemy, yet the transformation is, in essence, very simple: polishing mud into a smooth, shiny sphere. This Japanese technique, dorodango, is what you’ll learn in this workshop. We’ll gather clay from the island and shape it into glossy clay pearls, without firing them.

With local herbalist and distiller Juan Canaves, you’ll go out to gather wild plants and learn about traditional distillation techniques. Canaves creates unique essential oils and hydrosols for his brand Najuana, respecting rhythm, the seasons, and ecology.

Anke Riesenkamp – founder of Wilder Way, who writes for See All This about nature and organises workshops at De Proeftuin – will guide you on a longer, meditative walk through the poetic Mediterranean landscape, following in the footsteps of artists who found their inspiration here.