Joan Costa’s ‘Mirades Perdudes’ Exhibition Reveals a Different Side of Dalt Vila in Ibiza

October 10, 2026

Ibiza photographer Joan Costa is inviting visitors to look at Dalt Vila with fresh eyes through Mirades Perdudes, a double exhibition of 40 black-and-white photographs displayed across two historic venues in Ibiza’s old town. Open until 6 November 2026, the exhibition captures the walled city’s architecture, everyday life, traditions and fleeting moments that can easily go unnoticed.

The exhibition opened on 6 October, with photographs divided between Es Polvorí, the former gunpowder magazine at the Santa Llúcia bastion, and the Sala Refectori in the old town hall.

Forty Photographs, Two Perspectives

The two venues offer different views of Dalt Vila.

At Es Polvorí, the photographs focus on people and daily life within the historic walls. The collection includes street scenes and events such as theatrical guided tours, the Medieval Fair and the celebrations held on 5 August in honour of Santa Maria.

At the Sala Refectori, the emphasis shifts towards the setting itself. The walls, architecture, landscape and interplay of light become the main subjects, presented in more artistic and atmospheric compositions.

Most of the photographs are recent, although Costa has also selected older images from his archive that he feels deserve greater attention. Together, the works reflect years of walking through the old town, observing its changing light, people and details.

A Photographer Who Waits for the Right Moment

Born in Ibiza in 1968, Costa began his professional photography career at Diario de Ibiza in 1988 before continuing his work in Madrid with the Cover agency. His photographs have appeared in international publications, including The New York Times, Financial Times and Traveler.

His work spans underwater, ethnographic and architectural photography. He also joined the Malaspina 2010 oceanographic expedition as a photographer, and one of his images received second prize in the Nature category of the 2012 World Press Photo contest.

In Mirades Perdudes, patience is part of the story. Costa describes his approach as a mixture of deliberately seeking a particular image and going out to see what he might discover. Sometimes he returns to the same place repeatedly, waiting for the light to fall exactly as he wants.

One photograph he has been pursuing for years features the arch at Plaça de Vila, where sunlight changes its appearance according to the season.

Dalt Vila: Beautiful, but Difficult to Live In

Beyond its visual beauty, the exhibition raises a question about the everyday life of Ibiza’s historic centre.

Costa has expressed concern that the streets of Dalt Vila are now walked mainly by tourists, rather than residents. He points to the steep slopes, limited homes with private parking and lack of everyday shops as practical obstacles to living within the walls. Even a simple task such as buying bread can become inconvenient.

He believes that bringing more life back to the neighbourhood depends partly on making housing more viable and creating conditions for local businesses to operate. He also supports expanding cultural activities beyond galleries and exhibition rooms into the streets themselves.

Although Costa feels the physical surroundings remain largely similar to those of earlier years, he has noticed a change in the people moving through them. He attributes part of this shift to the opening of the Parador Nacional, which he believes has brought more visitors into Dalt Vila.

His photographs therefore offer more than a record of historic architecture. They invite visitors to consider the relationship between tourism, local life and the future of one of Ibiza’s most recognisable neighbourhoods.

How to Visit ‘Mirades Perdudes’

The exhibition is free to visit and remains open until Friday, 6 November 2026.

Es Polvorí

  • Tuesday to Friday: 18:00 to 20:30

  • Saturday and Sunday: 11:00 to 13:30

  • Closed on Mondays and public holidays

Sala Refectori

  • Monday to Friday: 09:00 to 14:30

The two venues provide complementary perspectives on Dalt Vila, making it possible to explore both the people who animate the historic streets and the architectural details that define the setting.

For residents and visitors alike, Mirades Perdudes offers an opportunity to pause, look more closely and rediscover a familiar part of Ibiza through the eyes of a photographer who has spent decades walking its streets.

POSTED BY IBIZA ONE STOP

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