The studio stop: adding an artist visit to a Mallorca itinerary

An itinerary for Mallorca writes itself: a harbour, a mountain village, a beach, a long table. What rarely appears on it is the one appointment that most travellers remember afterwards, an afternoon in a working studio.

The island has a real contemporary scene, anchored by CCA Andratx in the southwest. Among the artists working here is the German neo-expressionist Markus Tollmann, who divides his time between studios on Mallorca and in Liechtenstein and showed a solo exhibition at CCA Andratx in 2024.

What a studio visit is, and what it is not

It is not a gallery viewing with better coffee. A studio is a workplace, so there are unfinished canvases, drawings that will be discarded and colours mixed for one painting only. That is exactly the value. You see the decisions, not just their result.

It is also not a sales meeting. Visits happen by appointment, and if travel does not allow it, a private preview by video covers format and palette before anyone books a flight.

Three questions worth asking

• Why this format? Large canvases are painted standing, with the arm leading rather than the wrist. The answer tells you a lot about how a picture was built.
• What came first, line or colour? In Tollmann’s case a large drawing usually sets the composition before any colour is chosen.
• What is not finished yet? Artists answer this one honestly, and it is the most interesting thing you will hear all day.

Fitting it into a week

A studio visit works best in the early afternoon, when the light is high and the island is quiet anyway. Pair it with Andratx or Port Adriano rather than with a beach day; the mental gear change from sand to studio rarely works. In 2016 large-format works by Tollmann were shown in the Philippe Starck-designed frames at Port Adriano, which makes that stretch of coast a natural pairing.

Allow two hours. Anyone who tells you an hour is enough has never watched someone explain why a face is turquoise.

If you fall for something

Works leaving the studio are originals on canvas, signed and accompanied by a hand-signed certificate of authenticity with a catalogue number, provenance and reference photograph. Shipping is fully insured through specialist art logistics, with a white-glove service including hanging for large formats. There are also lithographs and sculpture for those who want to start smaller.

Worth knowing in advance: there is no statutory right of withdrawal on individually produced unique works, which is one more reason the visit comes before the decision. Current pieces are listed in the studio gallery.

What to bring

A photograph of the wall at home with a tape measure in the frame, the room’s orientation, and an honest answer to one question: should the picture be the quiet point in the room or the loud one. With those three things an afternoon becomes a conversation instead of a tour.

Arrange a studio appointment

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can you visit an artist’s studio on Mallorca?

Yes, by appointment. Markus Tollmann works between studios on Mallorca and in Liechtenstein, and a private preview by video is available when travel does not allow a visit.

How long should a studio visit take?

Allow around two hours. A studio visit is a conversation about decisions rather than a viewing, and the interesting part usually starts after the first half hour.

What should you take to a studio visit?

A photograph of the wall with a tape measure in the frame, the orientation of the room, and a clear idea of whether the work should be the calm point in the room or the loud one.