8.10.2022 > 8.1.2023
Ca n’Oliver. Col·lecció Hdez. Sanz – Hdez. Mora, Maó
14.1.2023 > 23.03.2023
Sala municipal d’exposicions El Roser, Ciutadella de Menorca
“Elogi de la taula. Menorca ciclòpia” (Eulogy to the standing stone. Cyclopean Menorca) is an artistic proposal based on the standing stone as a monument that tells us about memory, rites, the cosmos, symbolism and landscapes. The standing stones, erected 2,500 years ago, are unique, from both a symbolic, constructive and an aesthetic perspective. With these standing stones, the symbolic landscape of Menorca is formed; this is combined with the cultural landscape which came into being with the talayots, both of which are shaped by man. The relationships maintained between the standing stones, the people and the landscape have varied throughout history, as shown in the proposal by Gemma Andreu.
A standing stone is made up of two rough-hewn stone slabs, one, of larger dimensions, arranged vertically and the other horizontally through an inverted troncopyramidal capital. They are located in the standing stone enclosure, a horseshoe shaped architectural structure that is accessed by an entranceway generally oriented towards the south and crowned by a lintel. In its simplicity and monumentality, the standing stone is a representation of a divinity. Eugenio López reinterprets the symbolism from a perspective of geometric synthesis.
As a space for worship, rites and sacrifices were carried out there, as evidenced by the findings of fragments of animal bones, incense burners of deities such as Tanit or figures such as Imhotep. In the work by Laetitia Lara, sandstone is the object of worship in itself and takes the form of a goddess or guardian of the ritual space.
The Talayotic settlers had a cosmological vision of existence, and the worship of celestial bodies governed their beliefs and rites. Rafael Timoner investigates the cosmos through the use of sounds and waves, reminding us that we are subject to a cosmic rhythm that organises life.