The Stone Sculptures of Joan Bennàssar in Can Picafort, Spain

The waterfront of the beach promenade in Can Picafort is only partially suitable for swimming due to offshore rocks and a rugged transition from the coast to the sea. However, while taking a stroll, one notices the droll figures made of stone and cement, standing partly alone and partly in groups, directing their rigid gaze toward the sea or the land. The stylistically shaped figures appear primal: female figures raise their arms and show off their charms, while the men are sometimes reduced to their heads, have bulbous noses and – just like in real life – "stare blankly" into space. Some female figures carry babies at their breasts, forming an almost naturalistic unity. The groups of figures standing directly by the sea are unprotected from the tides and, despite their solid construction, already show clear signs of decay. This interaction between art and nature is entirely intentional; it illustrates that the elemental power of the sea simply "clears away" what man has created over time. Of some figures, only the cemented pedestals remain. The sculptures on the green space at Carrer d’Isaac Peral are better preserved. Here stands a Janus-faced "lookout man," and a group of five fellows sits on a bench – almost like the village elders of Can Picafort coming together at sunset for a chat and a bottle of beer. The largest sculpture is also found here: a giant male head with crooked teeth and a leper-like skin profile. The installation has existed since 2016, bears cryptic titles such as "Puertos de Alga Marina" (Harbors of Sea Algae) or "La nueva Ítaca del Mediterrani," and was created by the Mallorcan artist Joan Bennàssar, born in 1950. The groups of figures are thematically divided into: "El Deseo" (Desire), "El Ritual" (The Ritual), "El Tesoro" (The Treasure), and "La Herida" (The Wound). Bennàssar's art is not necessarily pleasing, but it is unmistakable. Similarities to archaic art, such as the Moai statues of Easter Island, Greek Graces, or simple African depictions of humans, cannot be overlooked. If the common observer thinks, "I could perhaps knead something like that together too," art is nonetheless created through the unshakable production of great quantities and the persistent pursuit of goals. Bennàssar's "primitivist" style emphasizes the human body as nature's highest creation and seeks a connection between man, the sea, and the tradition of the Mediterranean. The artist remains active and extremely productive. His works can also be found in Pollença, Selva, and Inca – during a holiday in Mallorca, you can hardly escape them.