Sant Marc
Sineu, Mallorca, Spain
Sant Marc (non profit association)
"In any conversation about Sant Marc Studio, mention must inevitably be made of its founder, Marcos Vidal. Vidal planned to create a studio of his own in 1999 and, since then, artistic projects and an ongoing programme of exhibitions have been held there.
Sant Marc is a former wine shop, located in the centre of Sineu, a beautiful Mallorcan town filled with historic heritage. The studio stands out for one extra magical charm: the rich array of artwork on walls which lovingly interact with it, while also containing bookshelves and postcards. There are works of art everywhere in addition to a unique universe of objects, reflecting the imprint of Marcos Vidal and artists who have passed through his studio. They are objects that are no longer objects, having relinquished that status and acquired the category of a work of art, defining a place whose traces pervade a whole legacy of words, pen or brushstrokes, and stories. In conjunction, they combine to form a compendium of the world of creation.
Over the years, Sant Marc has gradually become a centre where thoughts, ideas and research in the field of printmaking are all exchanged. The studio has taken part and collaborated in an increasing number of different artistic events associated with printmaking, with works of art by contemporary artists who either live here or have spent some time on the island, hence the importance of the exchanges that it has sparked off through experiences, reflections, and proposals that have gradually defined the studio’s goal. To date, Sant Marc studio has printed work by artists like Yolanda Adrover, Cati Aguiló, Jokin Aizpurua, Rafel Bestard, Biel Bover, Tomeu Coll, Aina Cortés, Rafel Chilet, Paco Espinosa, Mercedes Estarellas, Mónica Fuster, Gavo, Michael Growe, Jandro, Xim Jurado, Joan Lacomba, Joan Mariando, Antonia Oliver, Irene Peukes, Esther Olondriz, Petronella Roca, Xisco Rubio, Fabián Schalekamp, Pere Serra, Muriel Ten Cate, Bernhard Trost, Joan Vallespir, Barbara Viel, Amable Villarroel, Jordi Pallarés, Irene Peukes, y Miquel Àngel Joan “Llonovoll”.
The studio’s management system is based on Marcos Vidal’s own special philosophy. An outstanding, original artist, his open, experimental creative process has been shaped through artistic practice. His experience, together with that of numerous other artists, has been nourished by a dynamic, spontaneous atmosphere, and he has slowly explored the rich world of printmaking, managing to combine numerous different printmaking disciplines and their different supports.
Over the years, different projects have emerged, inspired by a specific real physical context or background setting, without relinquishing their more universal dimension. In this regard, mention must be made of exhibitions like Espai Net (2000), Les Arts de Sant Marc (2001), Mallorca Tropical (2002), Literal o tot el contrari (2003), Futbólicos (2005 and 2007) exhibited in Barcelona, the participation in Supermarket Art Fair (2011) and P.I.T. exhibited in some cultural centers in Mallorca. At the same time, Sant Marc has sparked off the organization of numerous other exhibitions held at other exhibition centres.
The studio aims to transmit a message, based on analyses conducted at both a global and more specific level, bringing meaning to artwork and conceiving creativity in terms of its intentional, communicative potential. Hence Sant Marc could be regarded as a kind of “endless laboratory”, where attempts are made to reflect on art: the ways in which different artistic languages are related, an analysis of modes of representation, signs (“those signs of a presence that inhabits a space”), and meanings (“representations that are, at the same time, personal tales, existential journeys and memories of a place”). In short, it is a bold printmaking initiative, based on research and analysis, aimed at creating artwork associated with its background context, transforming art into a game of communication." Pilar Baos
PIT LOGO, Joan Vallespir
"WC for men", silkscreen on ceramic, 2011, Marcos Vidal
“Without title”, woodcut and collage, 2008, Amable Villarroel
“Sofa”, intaglio, 2005, Pere Serra
“Without title”, etching, 2011, Tomeu Coll