The mayor of Palma, Jaime Martínez Llabrés, presided over the inauguration of the ‘La Palma de Gaudí’ exhibition on Tuesday at the Municipal Archive, located in the Can Bordils building. The event was organised by the Ajuntament de Palma and curated by Martí Rotger Lebrón, an expert in documentary management and archives.
Attendees included the first deputy mayor and councillor for Culture, Javier Bonet; the island director of Heritage and City Interpretation, Pilar Ribal; municipal group councillors Francesc Dalmau and Silvana González (PSIB-PSOE), Luis Atienza (Vox), and Kika Coll (Més per Palma), as well as the island director of Culture, Andrés Ferrer. A significant number of professionals from the Municipal Archive, along with representatives from museums and heritage associations, were also present.
During his speech, Mayor Martínez Llabrés expressed gratitude to the staff of Can Bordils for their commitment and effort in leading this project, which aims to showcase the legacy of the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, a pivotal figure in early 20th-century modernism, during his frequent visits to Palma.
The exhibition illustrates how Gaudí's style and work significantly influenced architecture in all the regions where he worked, with Palma being a notable example. According to the first councillor, this influence was a compelling reason to organise the project as part of the extraordinary activities commemorating the Year of Gaudí, coinciding with the centenary of his death in Barcelona on 10 June 1926.
Gaudí regularly visited Mallorca between 1902 and 1904, during which he worked on the renovation of the Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma, known as La Seu, commissioned by the then Bishop of Mallorca, Pere Joan Campins. However, the exhibition reveals that Gaudí's impact on Palma extends beyond his work on La Seu, where he designed a highly personal proposal.
Although the only officially documented works by Gaudí in Mallorca are those commissioned by the Bishopric, his time on the island coincided with a period of significant architectural transformation in the city. Numerous studies have highlighted Gaudí's influence on projects by local architects who were directly inspired by the master behind the Sagrada Família in Barcelona.
The exhibition at Can Bordils references several examples of Gaudí's influence in Palma, including Casa Balet, Villa Alegre (dating from 1903), Sanitario Balear (1908), and even the Gran Hotel, a project attributed to Lluís Domènech i Montaner that bears similarities to Gaudí's creative style.
Additionally, the exhibition dedicates space to Gaudí's travels to Mallorca that were not strictly work-related. He was captivated by the island, immersing himself in its landscapes, engaging in cultural life, and conversing with intellectuals such as Miquel Costa Llobera and Antoni Maria Alcover.
As Jaime Martínez Llabrés noted, ‘La Palma de Gaudí’ reveals “the history of mutual admiration that united the architect with our city.” The exhibition will remain open to the public until February.
