“Night of Art” lights up Palma

STAFF REPORTER TOMORROW night, Palma is to celebrate the “Night of Art”, one of its most established cultural diary dates. This year, the traditional occasion for art galleries and museums to stay open late will be see the Blau school of design taking part for the first time. he programme for the “Night of Art” was presented yesterday by the heads of galleries which are participating in the event; the Culture deputy of Palma city council - Rogelio Araulo; Tourism councillor Francisca Bennassar; and the chief of programming from the Culture department of the Council of Majorca, Joan Artigues. he event, organised by the Independent Association of Balearic Art Galleries (AIGAB) and Art Palma, involves 27 privately and publicly owned galleries and foundations. Joan Artigues explained that the Council of Majorca had decided to provide a space for the outlying areas of Majorca this year, in the cultural centre of La Misericordia off Via Roma in Palma, where exhibitions from four galleries from outside the capital will go on show: Bennassar of Pollensa, the Cultural Centre in Andratx, Marimon in Santa Margalida and Can Janer in Inca. A commemorative T-shirt has been produced for the occasion, stamped with the theme “Night of Art 2005”. The Blau school of design will be at the Estudi General Lul.liá, with a programme put together in Germany by the Ana Frank Foundation in conjunction with other design schools. Under the theme of Workshops for Peace, 95 xylographics made on rice paper and a selection of photographs of wooden sculptures will be on display. Pep Pinya, president of Art Palma signalled that the “Night of Art” is open to all who wish to exhibit “even though they are not connected to either of the two organising associations”. He highlighted the fact that the event, with the exception of the Saint Sebastian festival, “is one when the most people are out on the street”. The Museum Es Baluard will have Open Doors from 8pm to 11pm and will hold a performance on its terraces; Richard Chiang will be showing his works in three galleries (Altair, Xavier Fiol and Joan Oliver Maneu); Aba Art will have a group show by young Andalucian artists and the Pelaires cultural centre will show sculptures by contemporary Italian artists, among other events.