The Book

Ibiza's journey through the twentieth century is charted in this collection of 170 photographs by thirty leading European photographers, among them masters such as Jos  Ortiz Echag e and the Dadaist Raoul Hausmann. Most of these images are here published for the first time from original archive sources. Together they form a moving portrait of what has in recent years become a Mediterranean legend.

Inside The Flap

"To the outsider it was the Medi terra nean of the Odyssey : the black umbrellas of fig trees spread over light-gorged earth; women in witch-black beating down the almonds with bamboo poles; a famished Ibicenco hound stalking hoopoes; the solemn hooting of a conch shell blown to announce a catch of tunny; lights bobbing all along the shore at night as trident-armed fishermen went shining their torches into the green goblets of water in the rocks."Norman Lewis, 'The Passing of San Vicente' in New Statesman, 19th January 1968

The Project

It took fifteen months (1999-2000) to complete this original venture. Perhaps the most interesting find was a Berlin photographer, Gustav von Estorff, whose work (now completely forgotten) was unearthed in two widely-separate archives, one in the Netherlands, the other in Spain. His authentic vision of annual matanza (pig-killing) celebrations in San Vicente and San Agustín are published here for the first time - together with explanatory captions and a biography which hints at his collaboration with a young German folklorist then living on the island - Hans Jakob Noeggerath (Jaume es pagès to locals). In Paris around the same time a quite different partnership was developing, in which Dadaist-turned-photographer Raoul Hausmann befriended a much younger colleague from the Neue Sachlichkeit (New Objectivity) movement, Elfriede Stegemeyer. Back in Ibiza , the two ranged widely across the island's hills, setting tripods side-by-side but coming up with quite different 'light pictures' Lichtbildner). The front-cover of Stegemeyer's album, now in a private collection in Normandy, is shown here for the first time.

The project's search for special photographs was accompanied by an intensive gathering of texts. Biographical résumés of photographers was the first priority, with info rmation coming from families, friends, books and numerous other sources. As the stories around the individuals took form, it seemed appropriate to write a completely new introductory text. To this has been added Raoul Hausmann's incisive essay on the art of making photographs in Ibiza , originally published in 1936 in the prestigious Swiss journal Camera . Captions too have been extensively researched, bringing in the expertise of a broad cross-section of islanders, from fishermen and parish priests to residents of old people's homes and retired seamstresses. A snapshot from an archive in Zurich or Amsterdam would act as a key, unlocking memories sealed off for decades. Finally, two dozen literary extracts have been brought in to enrich the images with words that develop these black-and-white evocations of an Ibiza cherished by so many and for so long.

This second revised edition incorporates a number of improvements and corrections to texts and pictures. Biographies, literary extracts and captions are in English, Spanish and Catalan, while the two introductory texts are in German and French as well as these three.

Reviews of EIVISSA-IBIZA: A Hundred Years Of Light And Shade (First Editon 2000)

Dazzling is the word which best describes the book, a formidable, comprehensive and extremely beautiful work . from now on an essential point of reference for getting to know the life and world of our forefathers.
Miguel Ángel González, author of Memoria de la isla (1998), in the Diario de Ibiza

The incredible technical quality of the photos, their impressive sharpness, the unpublished nature of many and the precision with which they appear identified, dated and described reveal the extent of the dedication, work and love with which the authors have carried out this task . a contribution of inestimable value to Pityusan culture, a veritable visual treasure and a moving witness to the paradise we once possessed.
Joan Lluís Ferrer, author of 'Diario de Ibiza': Crónica de un siglo (2001)

A fascinating, immaculately researched study of twentieth-century Ibizan society and customs, with many rare photographs.
Iain Stewart, The Mini Rough Guide to Ibiza & Formentera (2001)

Publisher: Barbary Press, Ibiza
Distributor: Balàfia Postals
Dimensions: 269 pages, 170 black and white plates, 22 x 17 cm
Price: 45 euro plus postage
ISBN: 8461102371
Languages: Català, Español, English, Deutsch, Français .
Photographers: Narcís Puget - Adolfo Mas i Ginestà - Guillem Bestard - José Ortiz Echagüe - Gustav von Estorff - Mario von Bucovich - Leopoldo Plasencia - Emilio Orsinger - Raoul Hausmann - Elfriede Stegemeyer - Domingo Viñets - Antoni Campañá - Joaquim Gomis - Pere Català i Roca - Francesc Català-Roca - José Torres Andiñá - Josep Mª Subirà - Walter Läubli - Hans Helfritz - Josep Planas Montanyà - Cas Oorthuys - Josep Juan Juan - Harold Liebow - Rolph Blakstad - Ilse Mayer Gehrken - Josep Vilanova - Cyril Taylor - August Vallmitjana - Josep Buil Mayral - Charles Camberoque - Helga Sittl - Oriol Maspons

How to purchase this book

This extraordinary book EIVISSA-IBIZA: A Hundred Years Of Light And Shade (Second Revised Edition) edited by Martin Davies with Philippe Derville, is available for purchase by directly contacting this office either by e-mail, fax, letter and telephone or in person. Payment is accepted by cash, traveller's cheques or by VISA and MasterCard.

The price of this book is 45 euro plus the cost of postage and packaging Spain 3 euro, UK/Europe 10 euro, USA , Canada , Australia and New Zealand Surface 15 euro and Airmail 39 euro.

Martin Davies

martindavies@ibizahistoryculture.com