The Formentera Office of Culture is pleased to report that from 20 July to 29 September, visitors to "Far de la Mola" Cultural and Educational Space can see the final instalment of A Collection of Contemporary Art III: Painting and Others.

The third instalment showcases the collection of Catalina Verdera Ribas and is curated by Manolo Oya with Trampolí Mecànic Cultural Association.

Unlike the first two instalments, which comprised works by local artists and creators who have resided or maintained close contact with our islands, instalment three mainly focuses on work from artists with whom Catalina Verdera has maintained a relationship as a result of her work at the Van der Voort Gallery, or works that she has acquired for her personal collection.

The third Collection of Contemporary Art features a selection of paintings, drawings and objects from 17 artists: Antoni Tàpies, Antonio Murado, Miguel Mont, Juan Hernández Pijuan, Berta Cáccamo, Carmen Anzano, Amparo Sard, Ana Vilarrasa, Jaume Plensa, Carmen Calvo, Ester Partegàs, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Jordi Alcaraz, Nono Bandera, Douglas Pérez, Kcho and Miriam Durango.

The exhibition opens Tuesday 19 July at 12 noon and will run until 29 September. The display is open 10.00am to 2.00pm every morning from Tuesday to Sunday, and 5.00pm to 9.00pm on Wednesdays and Sundays.

15 July 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera

The Formentera Office of Culture is pleased to report that as part of this year's Sant Jaume celebrations, from 7.30pm on Thursday 21 July, The Penguins will offer a children's concert at Plaça de la Constitució in Sant Francesc. After three years and a global pandemic, the band are back with a new album, Quadern de Bitàcola, the fifth instalment of the family-focused Reggae per Xics project.

Susana Labrador, councillor of culture, invited Formentera families to "enjoy this magnificent show and guaranteed good time for kids and parents alike". "After their last local performance and requests for them to return to liven up the festivities, we are very happy to be able to offer this concert designed especially for little ones", she said.

The new album consists of twelve songs, eight of which are originals expanding on The Penguins' contribution to pop culture. Of course, they still infuse Jamaican rhythms into the traditional repertory, staying true to the tack that previously cemented their success among family audiences. The artists call their latest release "a deep-dive into the logbook of this new and fascinating journey".

Aboard the Calypso, The Penguins take audiences on a series of extraordinary adventures in search of a mysterious island, apparently not on any navigational chart or map, which has suddenly popped up in the middle of the ocean. Besides discovering oceanic fauna and flora, crowds learn about the environmental consequences of living in a productive society that is still unable to manage its waste.

The group cast Quadern de Bitàcola as a "revival of the oceanic imaginary of Jules Verne, Hergé and Captain Nemo aboard the Nautilus" and say the album highlights "the infinite wealth that the oceans hold". The foolproof formula? A blend of music, rhythm, humour and education characteristic of the other Reggae per Xics releases. Above all, the group points up "the emotion of an unforgettable collective experience" and insist that "after this long voyage aboard an old ship, which despite being a bit rickety, is still capable of sailing the seas and navigating storms, reefs and towering waves, camaraderie and friendship are key to finding safe harbour".

The show starts at 7.30pm on Thursday 21 July in Plaça de la Constitució in Sant Francesc.

14 July 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera

The Formentera Office of Culture is pleased to report that from 12 to 30 July, the "Ajuntament Vell" exhibition space will host Infinitum, an exhibition by Enric Riera.

In Infinitum, the hometown artist presents twenty abstract paintings on canvas, paper and wood. Most of the pieces are square-shaped and acrylic as well as mixed media like sand and charcoal. Also on display are two books produced in collaboration with the art historian, poet and collector Michel Bohbot. All the works have been completed in the previous two years, from lockdown until now.

Riera says that the title of the exhibition - the absence of limits - "refers to the immensity of the sea and the sky, contemplated from a balcony over the sea". "It reminds us of the man's insignificance in the face of natural phenomena, such as the storm-battered island." With Infinitum, the artist, who is known for a sensitivity to colour and blue chromatics, exposes works with other colours treated with the same imprint.

The exhibition will open Monday 11 July at 8.00pm. It will be at the "Ajuntament Vell" exhibition space Monday to Saturday, 11.00am to 2.00pm and 7.00pm to 9.00pm.

The gallery is closed Sundays, holidays and Monday mornings.

7 July 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera

Celebrating the island's commemorative holiday with a programme stretching 11 to 28 July.

The Formentera Office of Culture is pleased to present the activities organised to celebrate the feast day of Sant Jaume ("Saint James"). Formentera will celebrate the island's commemorative holiday, or diada, with a programme running from 11 to 28 July. Featuring prominently on the promotional poster is a traditional sail boat. Susana Labrador, councillor of culture and education, cast it as "a tribute to Formentera traditions and a nod to the designation of 2022 as International Year of Artisanal Fishing".

Labrador stressed that "after two years of Sant Jaume celebrations awash in restrictions, this year we are thrilled to present a programme that puts music and dance back in our patron saint celebrations and we hope that all of Formentera enjoys what is truly an extensive festivities programme, including wide-ranging themed activities for children, youth and adults".

Cultural activities

The programme kicks off Monday 11 July with the 8.00pm opening of an exhibition of paintings by Enric Riera. With Infinitum, the seasoned hometown artist presents twenty pieces, including paintings on canvas, paper and wood and two artist's books made jointly with the art historian and poet Michel Bohbot. The exhibition is at the Sala d'Exposicions "Ajuntament Vell" from 12 to 30 July, 11.00am to 2.00pm and 7.00pm to 9.00pm. The gallery is closed Sundays and Monday mornings.

On Thursday 28 July, MoskitasMuertas and Victoria Kersul will team up to present La Decisió, a tragicomedy about the desire to be a mother. The show starts at 8.00pm in the Sala de Cultura (Cinema).

Municipal event (24 July)

The official Diada de Formentera celebration, including honorary distinctions, takes place 24 July at 8.00pm in Jardí de ses Eres.

Diada de Formentera (25 July)

At 8.00pm on the feast day of Sant Jaume, Diada de Formentera, Saint James' Mass will be held at Sant Francesc church. Then, around 9.00pm, Formentera's traditional dance troupes Es Pastorells and Es Xacoters will descend on Plaça de la Constitució for a popular dance.
 
Musical performances and concerts (23, 24 and 25 July)

Once again this year, the core days of celebrations will be marked by musical performances in Sant Francesc's Plaça de la Constitució.

On Saturday 23 July at 10.00pm, the long-standing Jazz in the Square wecomes the young Ibizan multi-instrumentalist Andrés Coll as its special guest.

On Sunday 24 July at 10.30pm, Mishima, the Catalan indie pop band, present their latest release L'aigua clara. The group will followed by Pupil·les, one of the most interesting groups of the new Valencian music scene and a feminist touchstone. Axel Pi Sidonie will crown the night with a DJ set where the drummer of Catalan band Sidonie will play dance music from the sixties to present day.

The highlight of the festivities comes at 10.30pm Monday 25 July, Nit de Sant Jaume, with a concert from Mucho, a Spanish indie pop-rock outfit fronted by Martí Perarnau. The task of closing out the night falls to Els Pets. With more than three decades of experience, Els Pets are widely considered one of the greats of Catalan pop music. The group have successfully come out on the other side of successive reinventions, most recently settling into indie "costumbrista" pop masterfully crafted lyrics. They will share with audiences their latest album, 1963.

Programming for children and youth

At 7.30pm Thursday 21 July in Plaça de la Constitució, the little ones can enjoy a concert from The Penguins. The band will play tracks from their latest album, Reggae Per Xics - Quadern de Bitàcola, which they describe as "music to dream, laugh, dance, play, sing, listen, share, imagine, create, be happy and love life for the young and old!".

Also on Friday 22 July, young music lovers can enjoy the Young Night (Nit Jove) in Plaça de la Constitució in Sant Francesc. The evening is organised by the Formentera Office of Youth Services and will feature performances by Babymilo, Tur, Lu, Flaco Fer and DJ Day. The show starts at 9.30pm.

Sports activities

Sports form an important part of patron saint festivities too. Among featured events are the Sant Jaume-John Tunks Memorial Tennis and Paddle Tennis Tournament, to be held at the municipal courts from 15 to 17 July.

The use of disposable plastic will be reduced during celebrations. Not only will there be reusable glasses at all drinks stands, which this year will have a new design, but the Consell will also set up two purified water fountains so that attendees can have water free of charge and without generating plastic waste. The Consell de Formentera has thanked all the associations for their collaboration in reducing disposable plastics.

This year's celebrations will also include the "No i punt!" ('No means no!') campaign. There will be an information and support point to prevent and take action against sexist violence, as well as a table to encourage people not to drink alcohol or consume other substances.

Finally, Councillor Labrador praised other branches of the Consell de Formentera and participating associations for being involved and making Diada de Formentera celebrations possible. She also applauded Trasmapi, one of the main collaborators of the festivities, for its support.

4 July 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera