The Office of Culture of the Consell de Formentera is pleased to report that at 6.00pm, Monday 20 March, "Migrants a Formentera" will open at the Sala d'Exposicions "Ajuntament Vell". The exhibition will remain on view until Saturday 1 April.

This exhibition marks the kick-off of the programme for Formentera Intercultural, the sociocultural project spearheaded by the Office of Social Welfare.

"Migrants a Formentera" takes a journey through local history, starting with emigration for economic and political reasons in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, until the turning point of the 1960s with the developing tourist industry, when Formentera received immigrants as a land of opportunity or model of life.

The display consists of a collection of photos, objects and documents donated by local families, as well as contributions from the Consell de Formentera Archive and the Archive of Image and Sound of Formentera. A text written by local historian Santiago Colomar offers details about these migratory movements.

The exhibition also includes works by resident artists past and present –mainly photographic portraits by Helga Sittl, Melba Levick and Pilar Aldea– which offer an idea of the diverse backgrounds present on the island. A video installation by Juan González Fornes unpacks issues like mobiliity and identification cards as keys to access, while work by Franco Giomi makes meaning of the constant arrival in recent years on Formentera's coasts of small boats from Algeria.

The exhibition is curated by Manolo Oya in collaboration with Cristina Mayans, Iris Palomo and Noelia González, the managers of the Formentera Immigration Service. "Migrants a Formentera" can be visited until 1 April, Monday to Saturday, 11.00am to 2.00pm and 6.00pm to 8.00pm. The exhibition space will close on holidays, Sundays and Monday mornings.

16 March 2023
Office of Communication
Consell de Formentera