A Journey Into Japanese Art
First we look at the current exhibition at Espai C, of the Fundació Dionis Bennassar based in Pollensa.
Francesca Arcidiaco, a Sicilian resident in the UK, has been a passionate artist all her life. Self-taught and naturally talented, she focused on water colour and water-based art techniques in her teens and twenties. She graduated in Oriental History at Bologna University and has a Masters Degree from SOAS (London). After a rewarding career as a lobbyist in the financial sector, she moved to Japan in 2010.
Her discovery of Japanese art and culture reawakened her desire to paint and she practised Sumi-e and Nihonga for three+ years under the tutelage of professional artists. Her production of classic Japanese art in a variety of media was exhibited in Tokyo and attracted appreciation from Japanese art critics. She continues to paint in the classic Japanese styles and has received acclaim and commissions in recent years.
Her return to the UK in 2014 allowed Francesca the opportunity to hone Western painting techniques at accredited schools. She attended the Heatherley’s School of Fine Art, West Dean College of Arts and advanced courses by professional artists.
All Francesca’s artwork is heavily influenced by Japanese aesthetics and cultural principles, especially the passion for natural details and the balance between subject and negative space (ma). She uses Japanese pigments and materials and her paintings are framed in Japan by master artisans.
The works in the exhibition at Espai C in Pollensa include ‘The Splendour of Autumn’ Nihonga on paper screen and ‘Seihō’s Tiger’ Nihonga on Washington Scroll. Alongside other works on antique screens, silk, paper and scrolls.
The exhibition runs 1-28 September 2025. Opening times: Monday-Saturday 10-13hr & 17-20hr and Sundays 11-14hr.
Artists for Cats
The exhibition ‘Artists for Cats’, is also running this month with numerous international and local artists presenting their work while supporting a project close to their hearts.
All the pictures, sculptures and objects on display are available for purchase and 50% of the proceeds from sales will go directly to Cat Protection Pollensa, which provides care and medical treatment for over 1,000 stray cats in the region.
The money raised will finance feeding and neutering in colonies, and medical care – essential measures to alleviate the suffering of the animals and curb uncontrolled reproduction.
Although many cats in Pollença are part of the townscape and delight many people, they often struggle to survive and can reproduce rapidly.
‘Art is expression – and in this case also an act of care,’ says the initiator of the exhibition. ‘With Artists for Cats, we not only want to raise money, but also raise awareness of the situation of street cats and draw more people’s attention to the important work of Cat Protection Pollensa.’
The exhibition invites residents, tourists and art lovers alike, to experience art with added social value – and in doing so, make a difference for animals that have no voice of their own.
The exhibition is at La Taverna in the Joan March Gardens in Pollensa and closes on 21st September.
