Markus Linnenbrink at Casal Solleric: A Sensorial Journey

The latest exhibition by renowned German artist Markus Linnenbrink has transformed historic Casal Solleric into a kaleidoscopic exploration of color, space, and perception. It’s a sensorial journey that reshapes the way we see and move through space. Open to the public through September 7, 2025, “WHAT WE THINK AS INSIGNIFICANT PROVIDES THE PUREST AIR WE BREATHE” is a striking example of how contemporary art can redefine and reframe architectural space.

A Symphony of Color in the Heart of Palma

Linnenbrink’s intervention begins the moment you step into the central courtyard of Casal Solleric. The artist has enveloped the walls in undulating horizontal stripes of vivid color, wrapping the interior like a woven tapestry of pigment. The palette is bold and luminous, from electrifying oranges to deep violets. And invites viewers to look up and around, engaging with the historic space in entirely new ways.

To preserve the integrity of the 18th-century building, the color fields were applied over protective vinyl layers. The result is an immersive yet respectful transformation of one of Palma’s most iconic architectural gems.

When Painting Becomes Environment

Linnenbrink is known internationally for his large-scale, site-specific installations that challenge the boundaries between painting, sculpture, and architecture. This exhibition, jointly produced by Casal Solleric and Es Baluard Museu d’Art Contemporani de Palma, emphasizes that approach.

Experiencing with the Body as Much as with the Eyes

Curated by Jackie Herbst and Fernando Gómez de la Cuesta, the project reflects Linnenbrink’s belief that art should be experienced with the body as much as with the eyes. The artist invites visitors to move through the space, discovering new compositions with every step and angle.

The Most Vital Elements of Life

The exhibition’s title, WHAT WE THINK AS INSIGNIFICANT PROVIDES THE PUREST AIR WE BREATHE, is taken from a lyric in Stevie Wonder’s The Secret Life of Plants. Like the song, the show suggests that what we often overlook — color, air, silence, emptiness — can in fact be the most vital elements of life. Linnenbrink channels this philosophy into visual form, using his signature “drip” technique, where layers of pigmented resin are poured and left to settle into vibrant geological striations.

More than an Exhibition

In creating the installation, Linnenbrink worked closely with his son, Julius, and four students from Adema University School of Fine Arts in Mallorca. “WHAT WE THINK AS INSIGNIFICANT PROVIDES THE PUREST AIR WE BREATHE” is more than an exhibition. A rare opportunity to experience one of Europe’s most distinctive voices in contemporary art in dialogue with one of Palma’s most beautiful historic venues.

The exhibition by Markus Linnenbrink at Casal Solleric runs from April 30 – September 7, 2025, Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00–20:00; Sundays and holidays, 11:00–14:30. More installations are on display at Es Baluard.

Read more about Casal Solleric, here, and about Es Baluard and other museums in Palma, right here.