This is not the Ibiza you see on postcards. Hidden inside the stone walls of the old town, something extraordinary is happening. Until 16 November, the Ibiza Contemporary Art Museum (MACE Ibiza) invites you to walk into a modern cave, one where bulls charge across cracked surfaces, birds seem frozen mid-flight, and textures come alive beneath your fingertips. Welcome to Miquel Barceló: El present permanent, an exhibition that will stay with you long after your holiday ends.
A portal to the origins of art
From the moment you enter the Sala de Armas, you know this is not a typical museum visit. The lights are dim. The walls breathe. And the works, 22 powerful pieces created between 2013 and 2025, appear carved into stone rather than painted on canvas. Miquel Barceló’s canvases are warped, scarred, layered. He uses charcoal, ceramic, acrylic and pastel to create something raw and strangely familiar.
You do not just look at these paintings. You feel them.
They speak of ancient rituals, of human instinct, of the need to express something bigger than words. And yet, they also feel contemporary, like street art made 30,000 years ago. That is the genius of Miquel Barceló: turning history into now.
Spain’s most international artist is back in Ibiza
Miquel Barceló, born in Mallorca in 1957, has exhibited everywhere from New York to Paris. But his return to Ibiza is special. This is his third exhibition at MACE Ibiza, and his most intimate.
His fascination with prehistoric cave art began decades ago, after visiting Altamira and Lascaux. He has painted in African caves. He has studied animal movement, ancient textures, and the primal act of leaving a mark. As Barceló says: “In painting, there is no progress. You always paint for the same reason, a permanent present.”
The title of the exhibition, El present permanent, reflects that timelessness. It is not just a collection of artworks. It is a reminder of what connects us all.
The opening that got everyone talking
When Barceló arrived (40 minutes late, with a smile), the Sala de Armas was already packed. More than 100 guests, artists, politicians, curators, and fans, gathered to witness the moment. Among them: Ibiza’s mayor, Rafael Triguero, and the Balearic Minister of Tourism and Culture, Jaume Bauzà, who called Barceló an “alchemist of textures” and praised his ability to merge the local with the universal.
Even internationally recognised artists like Santi Moix and actor Joan Gràcia were there. Everyone wanted to be part of it. Everyone felt it: this was more than an art show. It was a cultural event with soul.
What you will actually see inside Ibiza Contemporary Art Museum
- Huge, irregular canvases that feel more like cave walls than paintings.
- Charcoal figures of bulls, fish, birds; captured mid-motion, as if alive.
- Ceramics shaped by hand and instinct, textured like ancient tools.
- Limited colour. Mostly black and white, with occasional splashes of red and ochre.
- Silence. The kind of silence where every footstep echoes and every glance means something.
Each piece draws you in. And suddenly, you are not just visiting a museum. You are 30,000 years back in time, seeing the world as it was first imagined.
Ibiza is art
This exhibition is a powerful reminder that Ibiza is not just parties and sunsets. It is also culture, creativity, and depth. Located in the heart of the UNESCO-listed Dalt Vila, MACE is one of the island’s secrets and this exhibition makes it unmissable.
After your visit, stroll through cobbled streets, grab a coffee overlooking the marina, and take a piece of this emotional experience with you.
Miquel Barceló: El present permanent is only open until 16 November. Whether you love art, history or simply want to see something unexpected on your trip, this exhibition delivers.
- Where: Ibiza Contemporary Art Museum (MACE), Ibiza Town
- When: now until 16 November
- Why: because it will change how you see art and maybe even Ibiza
Add this to your itinerary now. Search ‘MACE Ibiza’ for opening hours and tickets. You will not regret it.
