We are saddened to announce the death of the Ibizan artist of German origin Erwin Bechtold, at the age of 97, whom we visited this summer in Ibiza.

An artist much admired and loved by Galeria SENDA. A strong friendship of more than 40 years with our co-director Chus Roig that will not be forgotten.

Erwin Bechtold with Cristina, his wife, and Nilo Casares talking with Carlos Durán, director and founder of Galería SENDA.

Much to our regret, we bid farewell to a great reference in avant-garde painting in Ibiza. Erwin discovered the island in 1954 when, after obtaining a master typesetter and printer diploma in his city, he began to hold his first exhibitions after his stays in Paris and Barcelona, where he had met the members of the group Dau al Set and those from Madrid El Paso.

He settled in Ibiza in 1958, where he found his place in the world and decided to build a studio forever, from where he created all the works that have filled collections and museums around the world, including of course the Museu d’Art Contemporani d’Eivissa who decided to dedicate one of his last exhibitions to him in 2017 and 2018.

Warehouse of works by Erwin Bechtold, on the right: Elena Ruiz, director of the Museum of Contemporary Art of Ibiza.

Our visit to his studio this summer was a long-awaited appointment that could be made with the company of Elena Ruiz, who manipulated the stars so that this conjunction was possible. Thanks, Elena!
It was a very interesting meeting in which we were able to see his work and talk about a new project in Barcelona that we recently revealed on social media:

It was our idea to exhibit his work at Senda – in mid-November – with a selection of works that will surely surprise more than one. Especially excited to be able to see “MONISERIE” installed, from 1979, the polyptych in which he pays homage to Jose Luís Sert and Joan Miró and which is, without a doubt, a seminal work in his career.

Erwin Bechtold talking to Carlos Durán inside his studio in Ibiza.

“With his loss, the international cultural scene loses one of its referents. Bechtold maintained a long artistic life until recently and can be considered one of the referents of the plastic arts in Europe and, particularly , in the area of ​​the Balearic Islands. From its beginnings in the 40s until now, it has always shown a personality and a curiosity that deeply marked its work and made it worthy of multiple recognitions“, they point out in the note from the City Council, among these is the Gold Medal of the Consell de Ibiza, which was awarded to him in 2020 and the Illes Pitiüses Award from Diario de Ibiza, in 2005.

 “For years, Erwin Bechtold set up his studio and residence in the town of Sant Carles and showed his involvement with his neighbors, in general, and with culture in particular, collaborating in the production of catalogs and other elements to publicize the Music Festival and International Piano Competition of the population“, adds the City Council.

The artist together with Elena Ruiz, director of the Museum of Contemporary Art of Ibiza

& Nilo Casares, member of the Committee of experts of the MACE.

In Memoriam

Erwin Bechtold (1925 – 2022)