Hiroshi Kitamura at NUMA Foundation and Cultural Centre

Located beside the boat-bobbing harbour in Ciutadella, Menorca, the NUMA Foundation and Cultural Centre is now in its second season. Its founding purpose is to unite people through art and nurture creative roots that link local and global communities.

“We see art as a bridge,” says Judit Martin, NUMA’s Marketing and Communications Manager. “NUMA was born from a desire to reflect Menorca’s unique cultural identity while inviting dialogue with artists from all over the world.”

NUMA’s 2025 exhibition showcases Japanese artist Hiroshi Kitamura’s sculptures and paintings. His work combines ancient landscapes, natural materials and a meditative approach to creativity.

Hiroshi Kitamura exhibition

Since May 8, Hiroshi Kitamura’s (b. 1955, Hokkaido) latest exhibition, has been on show at NUMA. His work is born from years of deep, intuitive exploration, guided by a strong respect for nature. Hiroshi, based in Girona, Spain, has worked with wood and ink for decades.

His 32 exhibited pieces include 25 wood sculptures and 7 large-scale ink paintings. Hiroshi spent five years visiting prehistoric caves in the Iberian Peninsula. Inspired by this exploration, he carved sculptures from various Mediterranean woods. These include holm oak, cypress, cherry, olive and even vine shoots. “There are many things we could understand through observation,” Hiroshi says. “This exhibition focuses on listening, intuition and closely observing nature.”

The remaining works are 3-metre-wide ink paintings. They use India ink, tempera and natural pigments such as walnut and mahogany. Assembled using hyougu, a traditional Japanese mounting method, the technique shows both fragility and permanence.

Local spaces for local people

Open from May to December, NUMA sits near the bustling port in Sa Quintana, an area with a strong sense of its own history. To give back to the locals, NUMA ran free guided tours for the community at the start and end of the 2024 season, and this year held an open doors evening.

School visits and workshops are proving particularly popular, with children and young people benefitting from bespoke guided tours and activities that complement their studies. Creative workshops for all ages include photography, embroidery, painting, mask making and illustration, and are typically linked with the theme of the exhibition.

One immersive project involved local children making mosaics. These colourful creations now brighten a flower bed in the square in front of the foundation.

Beyond the gallery walls

The exhibition’s influence stretches beyond NUMA’s doors. Two of Kitamura’s sculptures now call Vestige Son Ermità home, while over at Vestige Son Vell rests one of his sculptures and an ink painting graces the walls. Guests at both locations are invited to take guided tours of the centre and learn more about the artist’s vision.

This year’s foundation publication, Hiroshi Kitamura NUMA #2, is a true community project, asking local artists, academics and residents a simple yet profound question: What is your relationship with nature? The responses are available in English, Catalan and Spanish and you can purchase a copy from the gallery or pick one up from Vestige Son Ermita and Vestige Son Vell.

Exhibition details

• Hiroshi Kitamura
• Open at NUMA Foundation, Plaça Quintana de Mar s/n, Sa Quintana, Ciutadella
• May 8 to October 31, 2025
• Vestige Son Ermità – Diseminado Son Ermita, 10, 07750 Ferreries, Illes Balears
• Vestige Son Vell – Finca, Camí de Son March, Camí de Son Vell, s/n, 07769, Balearic Islands