Pre-Nit de l’Art in Palma: Champagne, Spray Can and Studio Flash in the Old Town

Pre‑Nit de l’Art in Palma: Champagne, Spray Can and Studio Flash in the Old Town

On Saturday evening Galerie Mensing in Palma's old town filled with people, voices and champagne flutes. Around 400 guests found room in the house's roughly 700 square meters; the rooms smelled of paint and freshly opened bottles, taxis rolled by outside from time to time and a warm September breeze carried the sounds of the Passeig and the narrow streets inside.

The tone of the evening was mixed: greetings, laughter, the click of a camera. In the basement people toasted with champagne while an artist completed his work live with a spray can and a haze of color. Tom Bosten turned the creative process into a short stage show that repeatedly attracted glances.

Musically, DJ Jerome provided a contemporary beat and violinist Serafima offered those moments that made you pause — in the middle of a conversation, glass in hand. On the second level photographer Sven Köhler had set up a small studio: with flash, backdrop and the professional eye that stages portraits. Many guests had portraits taken that later formed a little chronicle of the evening.

Faces of the Evening

Among those present were well-known names from television, fitness, real estate and publishing. Guests such as Jana Azizi, Caro and Andreas Robens, Tobias Wendeler as well as Britt and Alex Jolig mixed with personalities from security and collector circles. Actor Martin Semmelrogge, celebrity butler Daniel Rudolf, Rosstiza Hantelmann, Yolanda Egger, Frank Schrader and Felix Wille were also seen — all immersed in conversation or holding a glass of bubbly.

Such evenings are less red‑carpet ceremonies and more meeting points: gallerists, artists, collectors and the simply curious come together, exchange business cards and ideas. It is precisely this mix that keeps the local art scene alive — not only for tourists but for the people who live and work here.

Why this is good for Palma

An evening like this brings money and attention to small galleries, creates encounters and promotes artist projects. The Nit de l’Art is the big night, but the Pre‑Nit sets the tone: it keeps the old town's streets lively, draws visitors into the alleys and gives local businesses — from the bakery to the tapas bar — a boost in foot traffic. For neighbors it means a bit more noise, but also a feeling of being part of something.

The photographer's shots belong to the organizer and to photographer Sven Köhler. They are collected in an online gallery for viewing; private downloads are permitted, and anyone who shares the images online should credit the photo source.

If you like the feeling of paint on your hands and the click of camera shutters: the main Nit de l’Art will follow — and the old town will be full again. A small piece of advice: arrive early, wear shoes with reasonably comfortable soles and keep your eyes open. Art is often found exactly where people stop to watch.

Outlook: The Pre‑Nit showed that Palma's art scene does not live in an ivory tower. It breathes, argues, laughs and invites. If you want to take some of it with you: the next gallery event is usually just a short message or a poster away — and it's worth going.