Visionary LIVING

LOI: Can you explain the significant difference between CAN Art this year and the last two years? What was your vision when you were curating this event?

SS: There are two big differences from the past years. Originally, our focus was largely on the new figurative. This year we are open to more creative languages - more abstract art forms, more ceramics, more craft and more photography. So, I think this year is going to be more open and enriching. The other difference is that last year we launched the OFF Program, collaborating with Ibiza’s artists and giving visibility to other locations on the island. This year we have increased that a lot and we have put a lot of effort into connecting with and honouring local artists and their projects, whether that’s through shows or studio visits or creative collaborations.

LOI: What has made this become such a priority for you?

SS: Ibiza has been a creative and artistic hub for over a century. My personal feeling was always that if we bring our project here, we also must give back to the island, whether that is art itself or cultural connections or simply by encouraging an open and creative dialogue. By starting these conversations and collaborations we can create a ripple effect that hopefully will be felt long after we have gone.

LOI: How has Ibiza’s artistic heritage continued to inspire you personally?

SS: I originally fell in love with places like Espacio Micus and Estudi Tur Costa. For me they represent art as a movement. Ibiza’s mid-century art period inspires me greatly, not just for the work produced but for the spirit of collaboration and community between the artists themselves. We’re fostering this inclusive spirit by supporting art residencies at places like Las Cicadas in Santa Gertrudis, offering artists a place and the space to create without judgement or restrictions. I’d like to see more people inspired to come to Ibiza to create and art residencies are part of the solution to that. 

LOI: You’re collaborating with Loewe this year. How does that fit with your vision?

SS: Loewe is an inspirational brand because they have a very strong history of supporting artisans. Here in Ibiza that might be the Ibicencan ceramicist Laura de Grinyo, of LADIO, with whom we are also working this year. Or it might be local Spanish weavers or leather workers. Jonathan Anderson once said that ‘craft is the essence of Loewe’, so I think that we have a shared set of values that make our collaboration valuable not just for CAN Art but for the craftspeople and heritage of Ibiza too. Our aim has always been to democratize art, and I think through the local collaborations that is exactly what we are doing this year.