Creative director and culture commentator Sonia Cardinal uncovers an exciting new direction for Ibiza&rsquo;s creative class

The island art scene is once again abuzz after a period of pause, with all eyes turned to the new year. While just five years ago it felt that the isla was still soul-searching for a future artistic direction, it now has crystal clear focus on a bright new path.&nbsp;
New kids on the block like <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sarahsucotorres/?hl=en">Sarah Suco Torres</a> from <a href="https://www.perrotin.com/">Gallerie Perrotin</a> and <a href="https://contemporaryartnow.com/es/">Contempory Art Now</a>&rsquo;s Sa&scaron;a<a href="https://www.instagram.com/sashabogojev/?hl=en">&nbsp;Bogojev - </a>&nbsp;who has collaborated with Woaw Gallery in Hong Kong, XY in Germany and NYC&rsquo;s The Hole - have a fresh vision in common: to foster strong art culture communities and dismiss outdated misconceptions.&nbsp;
Art appreciation no longer carries the weight of an elitist stereotype and these new communities are weaving together locals and travellers through traditions and contemporary vision. This inclusive new feeling, a throwback to the original spirit of the island, arrives just in time for the world to grasp it.

The children of itinerant international parents, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nora.just.nora/">Nora Bullerjahn</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tav.is/">Tavis Buschman</a> met as youngsters growing up on the island. They developed Santa Gertrudis' artsy <a href="https://lascicadas.com/?lang=es">Las Cicadas</a> retreat together, first as a hospitality project. Upon meeting Sarah Suco Torres, the trio formed a similar vision around a project more connected to culture. As a result, Las Cicadas now hosts cultural events throughout summer and &ndash; in the off season &ndash; up to three concurrent artist residencies at a time. With interior design inspired by the first house created by Rodr&iacute;guez Arias &ndash; Ibiza&rsquo;s pioneering architect &ndash; the 500-year-old finca's clean lines and warm materials foster a desire to appreciate art as part of an everyday activity, as artwork and installations are exposed inside its living space. Nora is clear on the trio&rsquo;s shared vision: &lsquo;We want to make art feel authentic and accessible, something that is part of your day-to-day life, that you breathe in and out and that nurtures your body and soul quietly&rsquo;.

The global art curator Sasha Bogojev is familiar to the island and his project Contemporary Art Now - directed by Sergio Sancho - is in its second year. The fair brings an international crowd to enjoy the now &ndash;&nbsp; 'the only one thing more current than today&rsquo; &ndash; and carries an eclectic mix of the art world&rsquo;s most visionary creators. Last year&rsquo;s edition of CAN grew its community organically, merging art, fashion, and gastronomy with collaborators such as <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgHCJ2bFGsI/">Gucci</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cg36wexu1pB/">El Silencio</a>. &lsquo;At CAN, we're focused on figurative painting and like to present specific subgenres of that movement, unlike any other similar events out there.&rsquo; The idea came from a global revival of the appreciation of figurative painting noticed by the curator in similar events, from small local fairs to Art Basel-type settings. &lsquo;We're happy to see this trend keep growing and attracting bigger crowds of both artists and galleries, but also art appreciators and collectors.&rsquo; Needless to say, the opportunity to exchange and connect is there, and high summer in Ibiza couldn&rsquo;t be the perfect setting to do it. CAN doesn&rsquo;t pretend to reinvent the wheel of art exhibitions, rather the innovation comes from a incorporating major galleries and artists from around the globe in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea.

At Las Cicadas, art becomes a reason for celebration, not only exposed as a static experiment. In an innovative way, international artists can meet and work with local crafters in an authentic place with a different vision for their selection. Each artist&rsquo;s artworks will stay in the finca&rsquo;s different rooms, (bedrooms, living room, common areas) after their residency or show, making it more personal. CAN, the abbreviation of the fair, also means &ldquo;house of&rdquo; in Ibizencan, which for its curator and founder, represents &lsquo;what Ibiza has always been: the House of Art. The home of the latest movements, the space where everything comes first, and ultimately, the place which has the potential to set the course for others to follow.&rsquo; Spreading the word, outside of the island.&nbsp;

Las Cicadas current exhibition Blue Gabber features Mallorcan based ceramic artist Marion de Raucourt and visual artist Thomas Perroteau. Las Cicadas connects closely to this lush community that relates to the Balearics through a visual language taking cues from landscape and connections. Blue Gabber Exhibition until January 30th 2023. More information at +34 671 80 57 64 or <a href="http://www.lascicadas.com/">www.lascicadas.com</a>.

CAN is back this summer with a greater number of galleries. The team is working towards a public art program, hoping to develop ways for the fair to take roots in other parts of the island &ndash; beyond the event&rsquo;s venue. Among the participating galleries, some are planning their own events to coincide with the fair, essentially establishing an &lsquo;Ibizan art week&rsquo; which the organization hopes to establish.&nbsp;
Contemporary Art Now, July 12-16th 2023 at Fires Congressos i Esdeveniments d'Eivissa (FECOEV), Sant Antoni, Balears, 07800. More information at <a href="http://www.contemporaryartnow.com/">www.contemporaryartnow.com</a>&nbsp;

Ibiza’s contemporary art scene: how new communities are crystallising.

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