The artist, adventurer and Ibiza icon Bel Fogelberg passed away on January 21st.

Bel Fogelberg Jensen (Perth, Australia, 1931- Ibiza, 2023) was one of Ibiza&rsquo;s most recognisable characters, an intrepid woman of both style and substance who was adored by the international and Ibicenco communities alike. Arriving in Ibiza in 1958, she settled in the fishing district of Sa Penya, to lead a life of &lsquo;adventure instead of glamour&rsquo; (in her own words).&nbsp; Bel was known for her daredevil antics and escapades, including being a part of an underwater archaeology team &ndash; along with the actor Jon Pertwee - who discovered a treasure-packed, sunken galleon off the coast of Ibiza. The story was told in the excellent book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Galley-Beneath-Captain-Falcon-Barker/dp/B0000CMBMY">Roman Galley Beneath the Sea.</a>
Bel spent most of her life at Can Carabass&oacute; near Can Pep Sim&oacute;, where she raised three children &ndash; sons Thor and Steen and daughter Hjordis, the author of the widely popular <a href="https://www.instagram.com/myibizaandformentera/?hl=en">My Ibiza and Formentera</a> series of books. Bel was married to &lsquo;Danish George&rsquo;, another of Ibiza folklore&rsquo;s iconic characters who featured in several books about the hippy era on the island.
Bel was famed for her weaving skills, being one of the few foreigners able to weave the heavy, black gonelles fabric worn by local women. She was also known for her innate sense of style and last year featured in a <a href="https://www.lofficielibiza.com/fashion/the-enchanting-allure-of-authentic-ibiza">campaign for the Spanish fashion brand Maison Hotel</a>, along with her daughter Hjordis and granddaughter, the filmmaker Finn Fogelberg.&nbsp;
Bel was part of a cohort of fascinating characters &ndash; including Lance Tilbury, Orson Welles, Clifford Irving and the art forger Elmyr d&rsquo;Hory - who sealed Ibiza&rsquo;s reputation as a liberal, bohemian paradise in the Mediterranean Sea. They made Ibiza what it is today and their legacy is unsurpassed.

Bel Fogelberg for Maison Hotel

Hjordis Fogelberg, Bel and Finn Hjordis for Maison Hotel Ibiza

Hjordis Fogelberg, her mother Bel and daughter Finn for Maison Hotel

Bel Fogelberg: remembering an island icon 

Bel Fogelberg: remembering an island icon

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