Art galleries are also for the summer: places to see and buy art this holiday season.

In August, galleries used to close to recharge for the new season starting in September with Apertura Madrid (September 12–15) and Barcelona Gallery Weekend (September 19–22). But in recent years, many have begun relocating to beach destinations, organizing independent projects in rural areas, or even opening exclusively during the summer. Is something changing?

We explore some of the most refreshing initiatives -from major galleries to more modest ones- across Spain.

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Catalonia

Stronger together. This was already demonstrated by Prats Nogueras Blanchard with their merger earlier this year, and now, for the fourth consecutive year, they are teaming up with Bombon Gallery for a collaborative summer project held at L’Antigua Farinera in La Bisbal d’Emporda, Girona.

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An old flour mill built in 1822 around a 15th-century tower in Corca has been chosen as the location to reach new audiences, create fresh contexts and possibilities, and bring contemporary art to the public in a relaxed rural setting.

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The exhibition, titled Enlaire, revisits a key figure in Spanish contemporary art: Josep Royo (1945, Barcelona), a textile artist renowned for monumental tapestry works created for Joan Miró and Antoni Tàpies, which are housed in museums and foundations worldwide.

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Royo’s presence initiates a series of dialogues revolving around artisanal techniques, manual work, poetic encounters, and includes works by Joan Brossa, Eva Fabregas, Lola Lasurt, Wilfredo Prieto, Caio Reisewitz, Josep Royo, Rosa Tharrats, among others. The show is open until August 31.

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At the attic of Palau de Casavells in Girona, Alzueta Gallery also presents two summer exhibitions. The first is a retrospective of Jordi Alcaraz, Material de Construcción, conceived as a journey through the artist’s studio and career.

In August, Santeri Lehto takes over with minimalist paintings marked by analytical innocence and symbolic spaces of complex nature.

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Balearic Islands

For several years now, the high season in the Balearic Islands has become the prime time for gallery exhibitions. Spaces such as Parra & Romero, Hauser & Wirth Menorca, and Tambien have opened, and this year they are joined by new venues from Albarrán Bourdais and Cayón.

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Parra & Romero presents a group show titled Wittgenstein’s Paradox (until August 10), featuring works by Liz Deschenes, Helmut Federle, Callum Innes, Ann Veronica Janssens, Florian Pumhosl, and Ian Wallace. This will be followed by a duo exhibition of Philippe Anthonioz and Afi Nayo, focused on analyzing their creative processes.

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Hauser & Wirth Menorca, the idyllic space located on Isla del Rey, 15 minutes by boat from Mahón, opens its summer season with the fascinating Roni Horn, a Joan Miró Prize winner in 2013, known for conceptual works in diverse media.

Horn’s first solo exhibition in Menorca presents a selection of sculptures and installations that interact with the gallery’s historic setting and natural surroundings. Despite her wide-ranging media, her work consistently explores enduring themes related to the mutable nature of identity, meaning, and perception.

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Also on view is Chillida in Menorca, celebrating the artist’s deep connection with the island through over 60 works -sculptures and works on paper- created between 1949 and 2000, showcasing the full breadth of his career.

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Tambien Gallery in Santa Gertrudis (Ibiza), which opened in 2018, presents an exhibition dedicated to Howard Greenberg, one of the world’s most renowned gallerists and photography collectors. The show runs until September 30.

Albarrán Bourdais opened a Menorca location in Mahón in 2021 with a major show of French artist Christian Boltanski. In summer 2024, it reopens to the public with a pioneering exhibition dedicated to Swiss artist Felice Varini, aiming to become a cultural landmark on the island.

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Celebrated for his studies in geometry and color, Varini works with space and architecture through perception, developing his distinctive style in the late 1970s, influenced by Daniel Buren’s in-situ works and Sol LeWitt’s large wall drawings.

Another noteworthy initiative is that of Cayón Gallery, which launched its Mahón space in July 2018 with an exhibition of Fred Sandback, in a former cinema -Cine Victoria- built in 1917 and boasting a 12-meter-high exhibition hall.

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Since 2008, the gallery has represented artists or estates like Palazuelo, Eduardo Chillida, Cruz-Diez, and Jesús Soto. Until August 29, they are exhibiting work by Jesús Soto (1923–2005), a leading figure in kinetic art whose work is held in major museums worldwide.

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Another highlight is Art Palma Summer 2024, which kicks off the Mallorcan gallery summer season in its ninth edition. From 6 to 9 p.m., art enthusiasts can visit more than 30 exhibitions across Palma, Andratx, and Pollenca.

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The exhibitions feature contemporary art by over 60 artists from diverse backgrounds and generations at spaces including ABA ART LAB, BARÓ, CCA Andratx, Galería Fermay, Galería Fran Reus, KEWENIG Palma, LA BIBI, L21 Gallery, Maior Pollença, Galeria Pelaires, Pep Llabrés Art Contemporani, and Galería Xavier Fiol.

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In recent years, the Balearic Islands have become a migration destination for major galleries, even as local galleries continue to operate normally.

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Basque Country and Santander

In San Sebastián, at the foot of Monte Igueldo, lies a small yet charming gallery named Villa Magdalena, run by the son of painter and filmmaker Julian Schnabel. Open only during the summer months, it presents in 2024 the first European exhibition of Mexican painter Jou Morales.

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His artistic practice is deeply rooted in his Oaxacan heritage, reflecting on ancient history and Mesoamerican archaeology in his paintings.

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After a residency with the gallery in the Basque Country, Morales has integrated elements inspired by the region into his work, blending his pre-existing imagery with new local inspirations.

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In Santander, Juan Silió Gallery remains open through August 24 with an exhibition by Antonio Mesones, titled Inhalt des zweiten Theiles (Joyful for the Second Part). It revisits his early works made upon arriving in Berlin in the mid-1990s—foundational pieces marking both a break and the beginning of the style that now defines him.

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Galicia

A small gallery/project office that opened just a year ago, Argonautas 34 in Nigrán, Pontevedra, is visitable by appointment only. Directed by artist Diego Santomé, it represents a reinvention in the Galician countryside—humble in scale but rich in quality. The project centers around providing close support throughout the production process for artists and projects alike.

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Until September 19, the gallery showcases paintings by Juan Rivas. Titled Entre Ancoradouro e Mogor, the exhibition is inspired by his nighttime walks with his wife and daughters. His paintings capture scenes illuminated between trees and rocks in the dark, resulting in small-format luminous imagery.

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Madrid

This year, surprisingly, some Madrid galleries remain open or programmed throughout August. One is Wecollect, at Conde de Aranda 20, presenting a solo show by young painter Francesc Roselló, who reflects on the fleeting nature of life through intimate autobiographical scenes.

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Maisterravalbuena also keeps its usual hours and is worth a visit for the highly recommended exhibition by Regina de Miguel, titled Lapidario, running through August 28. Drawing on scientific visual languages (botanical, astronomical, cartographic, geological), de Miguel proposes a reconsideration of the human-nature relationship—through a restorative approach grounded in the shared fragility of all life forms and generosity.

 

Though Elba Benítez Gallery is closed, it will project a video installation by artist Jack Pierson on its windows. The project is part of /08/, an annual August exhibition series organized by Alejandro Cesarco. This year’s edition features three refreshing videos by Pierson, filmed in Hollywood, Florida, in 1997.