From Chaos Comes Order

Grasses sway. Music plays. Bronze sculptures gleam in the evening sun and a dialogue erupts between light and shade. In the heart of Ibiza’s smartest village, an illuminating experiment is underway. The term ‘immersive’ may be tossed around frequently, but Estudio Laterna redefines it with éclat. Founded in 2004 by landscape architect Andrea Sánchez and project director Ricardo Jarpa, the innovative Chilean duo birthed Estudio Laterna Art Gallery in 2023, a home for landscape architecture, an art gallery, a bookstore and a garden. This interdisciplinary studio has been designed to spark dialogue, to embrace and to inspire, offering new perspectives both for the local community and international artists. 

Andrea’s approach to garden design is deeply philosophical and intimately connected to emotions and to the lifecycle of natural environments. In a bold reclaiming of once-forgotten land, Laterna’s Experimental Garden is a living, breathing, social experiment and the first step of the visitor’s journey - transforming neglected land into a lush ecosystem. This garden, thriving with varied species, has been ingeniously conceived as an art installation enriching cultural life and supporting the gallery’s dynamic calendar of events. Perched on a Kossmun bench - another of Andrea’s imaginative forays into an outdoor furniture collection that echoes the natural erosion processes of rock and soil – the viewer is surrounded by the poignant notes of Guèbrou’s ‘The Homeless Wanderer’, amidst elegantly swaying stipa bush. This vibrant public garden, designed to accentuate verticality, is a gift to the island, encouraging the community to reconnect with the expansive world above and - perhaps - beyond. 

The layout of Estudio Laterna is pure poetry. Upon entering the ground floor, visitors are met with limestone walls crafted by local artisans showcasing the unique bronze sculptures by Formentera-based jeweller Enric Majoral and remarkable pieces such as a weathered football represented in Atacama marble by sculptor Gonzalo Contreras. Complementing these are the sleek designs of Muller van Severen’s wired furniture and Atelier Vierkant’s robust clay vessels. 

Descending the monastic tower culminates in a grand revelation: a vast gallery that represents a sacred setting dedicated to art. Andrea’s Phenomena exhibition showcases striking conceptual pieces by Australian artist Jai Vacisek, who explores the intricate dance between cosmic occurrences and personal metamorphosis. Alongside him, the works of Ibizan artist Danchú contribute with a unique blend of psychedelic surrealism and sacred geometry, portraying deep neuronal fields. Meanwhile, Irene Cattaneo’s Murano glass and marble creations reflect on themes of beauty and identity, completing an experience that transcends the visual, urging viewers to explore deeper existential layers. This summer hosts a new temporary exhibition by the nomadic Canadian artist Carlito Dalceggio, whose expressive, experimental work explores the limitless realms of human consciousness.

In the quiet recesses of the gallery, a bookstore offers another dose of cultural enrichment with a handpicked collection of works on landscape architecture, design, art and societal insights as well as a charming children’s selection, carefully selected to inspire thought. Art is indeed continuously evolving and Estudio Laterna democratises it by reflecting Ibiza itself - a beautiful island, deeply connected to the natural world, attracting a multicultural community in a reciprocal cultural exchange.