The Sala del Roser in Ciutadella is showing Trenta-quatre cels i una torre (Thirty-four skies and a tower), an exhibition by the painter Mikel Díez Alaba, from 10 July to 29 August.
The artist
Born in Bilbao in 1947, Díez Alaba has been painting for more than five decades and has been linked to Menorca since he first arrived on the island in 1980. This is his 39th solo exhibition and his fourth in Menorca.
The show is curated by illustrator Kira Díez and visual poet Manuel Moranta.
The title
The “thirty-four skies” are the 34 works on display. The “tower” is the old defensive tower at Binissaida de sa Torre, near Maó, where the artist lived and worked during his early years on the island.
Life in the tower
His studio was on the top floor, where the thick walls narrowed to a small room with a terrace overlooking the sea and the entrance to Maó harbour. Díez Alaba has described that period as a turning point: from the top of the tower he could see much of the island and felt that he lived between the sky and the sea.
From figuration to abstraction
The exhibition shows the evolution of his work. His early paintings are figurative, with recognisable scenes and figures. Over time, especially after his years in the tower, he moved towards abstraction, letting colour, light and form carry the emotion.
The blue series
One of the highlights is his blue series, in which the sky dominates the canvas. For the artist, blue is much more than a colour: it is part of the spirit of his work, a recurring motif of memory and openness. In the later works, the landscapes become increasingly spare, reduced to traces and structures that suggest rather than describe.
Light and landscape
Menorca’s light and wide skies have attracted many artists over the decades, and Díez Alaba’s work is a clear example of how a place can transform an artist’s way of seeing. For visitors, the exhibition is an opportunity to follow more than forty years of that dialogue between painter and island.
Visiting
- Where: Sala del Roser, Ciutadella.
- When: 10 July to 29 August.
- Admission: free.
