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Teresa Matilla, “Il·lapsos”

foto matilla t 2019 1Yesterday evening at the Ajuntament Vell exhibition space, artist Teresa Matilla introduced the island to Il·lapsos—twelve creations in oil, wet paper, textiles and a vast range of reusable materials. The artist shares her reflections on a society that, despite its liberties, lives enslaved to consumerism, greed and domination. Matilla's display includes pieces which have already graced the walls of sala FAD at the Macba in Barcelona, and The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburg.

The exhibit is open from 11.00am to 2.00pm and 7.00pm to 9.00pm until 28 September (except Sundays and Monday mornings).

17 September 2019
Department of Communication
Consell de Formentera

Consell de Formentera hails unprecedented undersea find

foto troballa 2019 1The Consell de Formentera’s president and patrimony councillor, Alejandra Ferrer and Raquel Guasch, laid out details today about an archaeological find made this August in waters near es Caló and that experts are calling extraordinary and groundbreaking. Figuring among the haul are eleven swords resembling 19th-century straight sabres. President Ferrer and Councillor Guasch were joined at the presentation by Javier Rodríguez Pandozi, marine archaeologist and president of the Balearic Institute of Marine Archaeology Studies (IBEAM) and Manel Guasch, captain of the vessel involved in finding the first sabre.

Ferrer heralded the discovery as a regional first and applauded the islanders and companies that helped in retrieval. “These artefacts will enter into Formentera’s catalogue of historical heritage”, said the president. “For now they’ll be kept among the holdings of the Eivissa-Formentera Museum of Archaeology [MAEF]”, she explained, “but we’ll see them back here just as soon as we have a museum properly equipped to receive them”.

For her part, Councillor Guasch underscored collaboration—between the local government and MAEF as well as on the part of islanders—not to mention efforts from within the Consell to coordinate an “emergency preventive intervention to ensure the objects were kept safe”.

A fortuitous find

15 August, as Manel Guasch and Guillermo de Barnola sought to retrieve an object that had fallen overboard, the pair identified what at first appeared to be a modern-day sword. They immediately reported the find to Comandància de Marina and the Consell de Formentera—the latter having authority over issues of historical heritage—and took the sword to MAEF, the entity charged with taking in and caring for archaeological items.

From 26 to 29 August, a team of divers from the underwater operations division of the Civil Guard visited the site together with an archaeologist from IBEAM, which has been engaged in efforts to complete an undersea archaeological map for Formentera. The dive gave rise to the discovery of a new group of similar objects—all with characteristics typical of early-19th-century straight sabres

After viewing an IBEAM-drafted report that included proposed strategies moving ahead, Consell officials signed off on an emergency archaeological intervention to guarantee the safekeeping of the objects and potentially locate other artefacts.

Conducted on 31 August and 1 September by two archaeologists and an IBEAM restorer, the emergency intervention involved salvaging ten subsequently identified sabres.

The objects will be sent to MAEF, where they will be held pursuant to Law 12/1998 (21 December) on historical heritage and Decree 14/2011 (25 February) on standards for archaeological interventions in the Balearic Islands.

Considering the unique nature of such archaeological artefacts in the Pityusic Islands, MAEF has offered to oversee restoration efforts, though the final conservation and restoration proposal will require close study of the objects’ condition and review of the technical reports produced by the emergency archaeological interventions.

Rodríguez explained that “with the help of the Civil Guard’s special undersea division, IBEAM will continue conducting archaeological probes in the area to identify any sunken ships that might be tied to the swords”.

Locals pitch in

The assistance of islanders proved essential to documenting and safeguarding the finds. Indeed, details provided by the pair that located the original sabre made possible subsequent efforts to study, authorise and carry out the emergency intervention associated with Formentera’s undersea archaeological map, a Consell de Formentera-led initiative that IBEAM has piloted since 2015.

For that reason, islanders are encouraged to report any information about underwater discoveries of archaeological artefacts to the cultural heritage office of the Consell de Formentera. In this way, such objects can be documented and protected as part of the island’s cultural inheritance.

In addition to help from the undersea division of the Civil Guard and Comandància Naval, both Trasmapi and Formentera Divers provided material support. The two companies have collaborated in the past with various parts of the undersea archaeological map initiative.


16 September 2019
Department of Communication
Consell de Formentera

It's the return of the island's post-season showcase: Formentera in October

foto formenOctubre 2Earlier today the Consell de Formentera Office of Tourism unveiled the latest edition of Descobreix Formentera a l'Octubre. President and tourism councillor Alejandra Ferrer described the “Discover Formentera in October” campaign of perks and special deals boosting off-season tourism as “a way to attract visitors before and after the traditional summer season; to give them a look at the island's more authentic, tranquil side”.

Campaigners insist October is prime visiting time, and point to deep savings on ferries, car hire and accommodations. Not to mention, in Ferrer's words, “a local agenda that's bursting at the seams with leisure, culture and sport”.

“We're chipping away at the typical idea of the traditional summer season”, says Ferrer, “so we promote and coordinate different activities, and Formentera businesses propose special offers, events and bonuses”. The president described it as “a winning formula of collaboration between the public and private sectors”.

How it works

Tourists who book lodging at participating businesses benefit from reductions on ferry trips, rental cars, active-tourism promotors, and can enjoy a beefed-up calendar of events to choose from. A list of the establishments involved in the campaign can be found at the Consell de Formentera tourism website:

Gastronomic Weekends

As part of Caps de setmana gastronòmics, the first and second weekends of October, various restaurants will offer sample menus of typical island cuisine for a lean 20 euros . Menu selections can be found here.

Sport and culture

October wouldn't be the same on Formentera without its procession of culture- and fitness-fuelled events. The first on the list is a triathlon—el Triatló “Illa de Formentera”—in es Pujols. Scheduled this year for Saturday 5, the function typically draws some 300 participants, not counting accompanying family and friends.

Two decades after Unesco decided to class the posidonia meadow as a World Heritage site, Formentera welcomes Fòrum Save Posidonia from Thursday 10 to Saturday 12. The biannual forum's premise is two-pronged. First, it brings together experts from Spain and farther afield behind the cause of shaping strategies for safeguarding an underwater species whose existence is essential to Formentera and the Mediterranean at large. Second, participants will gauge the success of efforts that have taken place over the two years since the last forum.

Friday 11 to Sunday 13, Formentera Zen gives travellers hoping to see another side of Formentera the perfect excuse to visit. Participants will get a calendar of activities that's packed with yoga and pilates, along with workshops on an array of topics like heart-healthy diets, mindfulness and aromatherapy. An extra special part of this year's programme is Veronica Blume, who will offer a master class on yoga that is open to all.

La Mola's yearly festivities—les festes del Pilar—comprise the now-familiar uphill trek known as la Pujada (Saturday 12), Festival Son Estrella Galicia (Friday 11–Saturday 12), the mountain bike “ride round the island” (BTT Volta Cicloturista; Friday 25–Sunday 27) and the maiden run of a marine photography event known as “Cazafotosub d'Apnea”. Also filling out the month is the third Collective Signatures, a three-day gathering of international artists (Wednesday 16–Friday 18). Complete event information can be found at the tourism website of the Consell de Formentera: formentera.es/en.

13 September 2019
Department of Communication
Consell de Formentera

Students back in class today at Consell's two nurseries

escoleta1Monday marked the start of the 2019-2020 academic calendar at the Consell de Formentera's two early-childhood learning centres, or escoletes: Sa Miranda and Camí Vell. Of 128 spots initially available for one- to two-year-olds and two- to three-year-olds, 19 remain. The infant group is full, and there are currently no names on the wait list.

Fifteen educators and two classroom aides will look after children's well being during what education councillor Susana Labrador described as “a crucial growth period”. Labrador said that one of the chief priorities of escoletes is to “help islanders juggle work and family”, and laid stress on the fact that younger students would be “passting a good part of their first years with individuals who care for their needs”.

At this moment in time, Camí Vell has one space in the one- to two-year-old group and five spaces among the two- and three-year-olds. At Sa Miranda, the infant and one- to two-year-old groups are already full, and the two- to three-year-old classrooms have 13 empty spots.


16 September 2019
Department of Communication
Consell de Formentera

Return of autumn and winter learning for Formentera adults

cursos-cultura-2019-20201The Consell de Formentera presents the autumn and winter 2019 offering of workshops and courses for adults, an initiative designed to satisfy the wide-ranging educational and leisure demands of islanders.

The catalogue is divided as follows:

Art & Creation

For years, the Consell has endeavoured to put forward a selection of art-centred workshops. Take, for example, Teresa Matilla's twice weekly exploration of creation and painting (Mondays and Wednesdays from 7.30pm to 9.30pm; Col·legi Mestre Lluís Andreu), Aaron Keydar's initiation into wood-working, also bi-weekly (Tuesdays and Fridays from 6.00pm to 8.00pm; Centre Antoni Tur “Gabrielet”), or the pottery classes scheduled at Gabrielet as well (schedule TBD). These classes start in November, conclude in March, and cost between €180 and €220.

Still riding the coattails of last year's success, a crash course in creative painting with water colours will return this year. Led by Fran Lucas, classes start 9 October and finish 6 November (Wednesday mornings; €90).

Photography

Two more breakout hits from last year's lineup were Jose Antonio Arribas' courses on digital and smartphone photography. Scheduled to return this November, the 16-hour digital photography course is part theory-based and part hands on, and will accompany photo fans as they learn to snap shots in the classroom and out. The €90 course is designed for photographers looking to get the most out of their digital single-lens reflex (SLR) camera or to go deep with other areas of photography. The smartphone photo course, meanwhile, is intensive, and includes four hours of instruction spread out over two days (18 and 20 November; €25).

Training

The twice-yearly course on social and cultural integration organised by the Department of Social Welfare will take place in November and March. Signups for the free course can be completed at the social welfare office.

Body and mind

For years, the Consell has also coordinated yoga classes with teacher Susanne Laier. Classes run from November to mid-December and mid-February to late March and will be held in the municipal cinema (Sala de Cultura; schedule TBA; €160).

Language courses

This year islanders once again have the chance to brush up on Catalan, Italian and English. Offered at the A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2 levels, the free Catalan courses are organised by the Consell de Formentera's Language Advisory Service. Enrolment opens 23 September and goes till 11 October. Classes start 14 October, though the end of lessons will depend on scheduling of the official round of exams currently set for January 2020.

English will be offered by Nancy Mc Conachie and Italian by Rodolfo Taccheo. Mc Conachie's afternoon classes in elementary- and advanced-level begin in January. The timetable of the Italian classes remains to be determined, though the course will start in January and will include one basic and one advanced option. Each course costs €180.

Traditional activities workshop

In 2019, the Sant Ferran retirees' club strikes out with its own catalogue of courses and workshops geared towards continuing the legacy of traditional activities. Students learn to sew, repair chairs, make baskets or spin wool. Cooking lessons will also be offered, not to mention a hands-on deep-drive into traditional dress aimed mainly at enthusiasts of traditional dance.

Courses at Sant Ferran's Club de Jubilats get started in November.  Islanders keen to participate should enquire directly at the Club de Jubilats.

Early enrolment

The “pre-enrolment” (preinscripció) process gets under way Monday 16 September at the Citizen's Information Office (OAC), or can be done online across the OVAC. Discounts are available for youth and retirees.

Registration opens on 20 October for workshops, including pottery, painting, wood-working, yoga and photography. Lessons start in November. English and Italian classes start in January and registration continues until 15 December.


12 September 2019
Department of Communication
Consell de Formentera

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