Pep Llambías champions culture as the "foundation of society" in his opening speech for the 2025 Fiesta del Estandarte.
The artist calls for greater institutional support for the cultural sector and warns of Palma's loss of identity during his speech at Cort.
PalmVisual artist Pep Llambías championed culture as a fundamental pillar of society and its institutions during his opening address for the 2025 Fiesta del Estandarte (Festival of the Standard), delivered this Monday in the Palma City Hall's Plenary Hall. In his speech, he called for decisive support from public authorities for the world of art and creation, emphasizing the role of artists in the collective construction of the city. With a narrative that blended irony, personal recollections, and critical reflection, Llambías reviewed his artistic career, Palma's history, and the inherent difficulties of the creative process. The speaker also explained, with a touch of self-deprecation, how his initial refusal to accept the commission ultimately transformed into a "yes" after conversations with members of the city council and people close to him.
Before the speech, Deputy Mayor and Councillor Llorenç Bauzá de Keizer introduced Llambías as a representative figure of the Mallorcan cultural sector "who has managed to transcend the borders of Mallorca and achieve well-deserved national and international prestige." Bauzá celebrated that the opening address was given by a creator and remarked that it is "the best possible culmination to a 2025 marked by Palma's challenge of achieving the European Capital of Culture title in 2031."
During his speech, Llambías emphasized the meaning of the Fiesta del Estandarte (Festival of the Standard), which—he reminded everyone—does not commemorate acts of war, but rather "the beginning of the construction of Mallorca as we know it today." He also warned about the loss of Palma's traditional commercial fabric and iconic bars due to "excessive real estate speculation," which, in his opinion, resulted in a city "without charisma" and with a part of its identity faded. The event was closed by the mayor of Palma, who thanked Llambías for delivering a proclamation he described as "original and brilliant in both its presentation and composition." The mayor emphasized that the artist offered "an exercise in living memory, an honest and profound narrative" in which he intertwined his personal journey with collective history, his intimate experience with art and the city.
The mayor also reaffirmed the government team's "clear and unwavering" commitment to culture, citing the Palma 2031 bid as an example. This bid views culture as a "lever for sustainable development, social and territorial cohesion," as well as a tool for inclusion, dialogue, and an economic engine. Finally, he highlighted Llambías's "generosity" in allowing a reproduction of his work.PalmThis is the recognition given to the city's ambassadors, and he has invited citizens to participate in the remaining events of the 2025 Standard program.
Born in Alaró in 1954, Pep Llambías has made a significant contribution to the cultural and artistic development of Palma. His work has been featured in leading international art fairs such as ARCO, Art Cologne, and Art Miami, as well as in art spaces in countries such as Mexico, Brazil, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland, Germany, the United States, and the Netherlands, in addition to numerous cities throughout Spain. In Palma, one of his most recognized creations is his sculpture.Palm, inaugurated in 1999 on the occasion of the Universiade and located on the Sagrera promenade, which has become a welcoming icon to the city.
