Kicking off Ibiza’s vibrant summer art season, Fundación La Nave Salinas has unveiled a monumental solo exhibition by American painter Spencer Lewis. Titled “La noche de día (Night by Day),” the show marks both a personal milestone for the artist and a celebratory moment for the foundation’s 10th anniversary. Located in a former salt warehouse overlooking the shimmering Las Salinas beach, the exhibition transforms the space with a new series of large-scale, site-specific paintings.
Fundación La Nave Salinas is a non-profit contemporary art foundation in Ibiza, Spain, founded by art patron Lio Malca in 2015 and directed by Isaac Malca since 2022. Located in a repurposed salt warehouse near the island’s iconic salt pans, the foundation serves as a public platform for monumental contemporary art exhibitions. With over 8,000 square feet of exhibition space, La Nave hosts annual shows by major international artists, alongside educational programs like guided tours and school workshops—all offered free of charge. Past exhibitions have featured Keith Haring, KAWS, Kenny Scharf, Bill Viola, and other globally recognized artists. Over 700 guests gathered for the opening night on June 21, 2025, underscoring La Nave’s role as a cultural hub for boundary-pushing contemporary art on the island. Whitewall spoke with founder of La Nave, Malca, about this summer’s season.
Spencer Lewis at La Nave
Courtesy of Fundación La Nave Salinas.
WHTIEWALL: This year marks the tenth anniversary of La Nave. How does Spencer Lewis’ exhibition reflect the foundation’s evolution over the past decade?
LIO MALCA: Having the show with Spencer this year is a very important benchmark—especially since we had been working on the idea for four years. The fact that it finally materialized for our 10-year anniversary makes it even more meaningful. It reflects our ongoing commitment to bold, visceral art experiences and long-term relationships with artists.
WW: You described Spencer’s paintings as having a “raw energy” that belongs inside La Nave. What drew you personally to his work, and how did the collaboration begin?
LM: When I saw Spencer’s work for the first time, I immediately imagined how incredible it would look at La Nave. In my mind, I saw his paintings hanging on those deep rock walls—walls that hold so much history. Spencer’s work feels like a powerful explosion, like a visual Big Bang. That raw force connects deeply with the spirit of the space.
Courtesy of Fundación La Nave Salinas.
WW: The former salt warehouse at La Nave offers a powerful, immersive environment. How did you and the team approach the scenography and spatial setup for Spencer Lewis’s monumental works within such a raw architectural context?
LM: The space itself plays an active role in how we envision each show. With Spencer’s pieces, the idea was to amplify that “rawness” through contrast—placing his explosive gestures against the nearly 100-year-old stone architecture. It’s about creating a dialogue between the artwork and the building itself, where both elevate each other.
10 Years of Fundación La Nave Salinas
Courtesy of Fundación La Nave Salinas.
WW: Previous exhibitions at La Nave have featured figures like KAWS, Keith Haring, and Bill Viola. What role does scale or monumentality play in your curatorial decisions?
LM: At La Nave, we have what I always dreamed of—oversized walls that allow artists to go big. Many artists don’t usually have the space to create or exhibit truly monumental works. That’s where we come in. We offer the freedom and scale to think beyond limits and bring massive ideas to life in combination with small or medium paintings or sculptures.
“We offer the freedom and scale to think beyond limits and bring massive ideas to life in combination with small or medium paintings or sculptures,”
— Lio Malca
Lio Malca, courtesy of Fundación La Nave Salinas.
WW: How has the foundation’s mission evolved since 2015, especially in terms of community engagement and education?
LM: One of the most important aspects of our summer at La Nave is incorporating an educational program and community engagement for children. We have two programs:
Kids Play at La Nave: Summer workshops welcoming around 200 children with their parents to explore and connect with the art.
L’Escola at La Nave: A partnership with local schools to bring students to the exhibition in October. This is why we’ve extended our summer program to run until October 31st—to accommodate these educational visits.
“We’re always looking to break our own rules,”
—Lio Malca
Courtesy of Fundación La Nave Salinas.
WW: Looking forward, what kind of artistic voices or themes are you hoping to spotlight in the next decade at La Nave Salinas?
LM: That’s a tough prediction since we are always discovering new artists, or we connect with established ones and form collaborations. But I can say that our enthusiasm, energy, and willpower keep growing. We’re always looking to break our own rules and continue bringing exciting, bold propositions to Ibiza that will give our visitors goosebumps—whether they’re from Ibiza or anywhere else in the world.
About Fundación La Nave Salinas and Lio Malca
Courtesy of Fundación La Nave Salinas.
Fundación La Nave Salinas is a non-profit foundation in Ibiza, Spain. It was founded in 2015 by art patron Lio Malca, and it has been under the directorship of Isaac Malca since 2022. Housed in a former salt warehouse in the salt pans of Ibiza, the foundation was created as a space that makes contemporary art accessible to the public. Lio Malca’s connection to Ibiza spans more than 20 years, and this project is a way for the collector to give back to the island’s community.
With an exhibition space of over 8,000 square feet, the foundation is devoted to showcasing exciting curatorial projects and monumental installations of contemporary art on a yearly basis. The ambitious programming is paired with extensive educational initiatives, including guided tours and teaching workshops for local schools. These activities aim to bring contemporary art closer to people of all ages. Perhaps most important to the foundation’s mission is that admission to La Nave Salinas and all programs is free of charge. La Nave Salinas has presented solo exhibitions by artists Keith Haring, Kenny Scharf, Marco Brambilla, Bill Viola, KAWS, Rafa Macarrón, Eva Beresin, Jonny Niesche and Mai Blanco.
Courtesy of Fundación La Nave Salinas.
