Evening of Lines: Comic Nostrum brings Josep Coll to Casal Solleric

Evening of Lines: Comic Nostrum brings Josep Coll to Casal Solleric

When at Passeig del Born the last plates are cleared away and the waiters have cleared the tables, the street sounds like a city taking a short breath. Then, when the lanterns cast a warm, amber light on the old stones, the Casal Solleric opens a door tonight to everyone for whom lines are more than just strokes on paper. At 7:30 PM Comic Nostrum begins with a focus exhibition on Josep Coll — a name that still commands respect among cartoonists.

Originals you can almost touch

About 150 original drawings are on display, not only by Coll himself but also by companions and contemporaries. Anyone who's stood in front of an original knows the feeling: the ink has a different weight than a print, the pen creates small, charming irregularities. You can almost hear the rustle of the paper, smell a hint of graphite — or maybe that's just the mix of two espressos and the scent of roasted almonds from a nearby bakery.

The Casal deliberately forgoes stiff museum rules. Instead of dramatic lighting setups, there are conversation corners, low signage and plenty of space to stop and look more closely. Families with children, curious tourists and night owls alike will find access: no unnecessary fear of touching, but an invitation to drift and discover details.

More than an exhibition: workshops, live drawing and market

Comic Nostrum doesn't stop at looking. From November 20 to 30 the festival moves on to Inca, where workshops, open studios and a pop-up comic market await visitors. There you can find signed zines, limited prints and the quirky little collectibles you rarely see elsewhere — ideal as a birthday present or as a memento of an evening in Palma.

Those who want to get hands-on can take introductory courses or attend panel discussions on the production side of comics. Particularly charming is the idea of a live-drawing event on a Saturday morning: artists sit at tables, pencils scratch, coffee cups steam, and you can watch with your own eyes how a panel is created, how shadows are placed and how faces emerge from lines that tell stories.

Why the festival is good for the city

Comics in Mallorca are more than leisure: they are memory, teaching material and small cultural spaces at once. Festivals like Comic Nostrum create spaces where techniques are passed on, where young artists find connections to the scene and where old handwritings are read anew. For Palma this means: more visible culture in everyday life, new meeting points between locals and visitors and conversations that might otherwise never happen — in a city that likes to share an evening glass of wine with its quirks.

Practical information for visitors: Casal Solleric is within walking distance from Plaça de Cort — a short stroll through narrow lanes, past open bars and the occasional rattle of a bicycle. It gets cool in the evenings, so bring a jacket. After the tour, a hot chocolate or a glass of Mallorcan wine in one of the small bars around the house is just right. If you have time, stay longer — and you might discover that one image that sticks in your memory.

The festival also offers opportunities: young talent can make contacts, vendors at the market have a platform, and the island's culture grows in the corners where you least expect it. So: reserve tickets in advance, save waiting time and just go with the flow. And if you spot a particularly odd panel layout, write to me — I'm curious which stories the island has translated into lines this time.