House of Arts: Casal Solleric, Palma de Mallorca

To me, Casal Solleric is not only one of the most beautiful houses in Palma it also has its very own magic. The second you step into the Baroque manor you leave downtown Palma with its busy crowd and traffic noise behind and enter a still, cool world of its own. Walk past the friendly guard towards the bright spacious patio with its large old cobblestones and graceful arches. A magnificent flight of steps with a wonderful wrought-iron banister leads you to the first floor, the planta noble. Imagine what it was like to live in a place like this, back in the late 18th century when the casal was built as a private residence for a wealthy Palmesan family.

Today, Casal Solleric is a cultural center, focussing on contemporary art and photography. I really like the diversity of types and styles of exhibitions – at times, the house features famous artists like Pablo Picasso or Steve McCurry. But it also presents the lesser known, and quite often intriguing exhibitions dedicated to a specific topic. The entry is free – a standing invitation to discover modern art.

The current exhibition „between columns“ features recent works of Joseph Heer. The Austrian painter lives in Vienna and on Mallorca, the influence of the island’s landscapes strongly developing his pictorial work. I had not known Heer before but was mesmerized by the large minimalist canvasses with their energetic brushstrokes of acrylic paint.

Casal Solleric also hosts a bookstore and a nice café that has tables on the sidewalk and also on the Borne. Try to find a seat under the tall sycamores next to the signature obelisk carried by four small turtles. Did you ever notice the murcielago (bat), Palma’s heraldic animal, right on its top?