The Yannick and Ben Jakober Foundation

Dating of the building: 1994 - 2009.

Applicant: Marie-Claire Yannick Jakober.

Reason for the award :

For its contribution to the conservation of the landscape, around the contemporary building that houses the Foundation Museum, and the well-kept gardens that ensure continuity with the landscape.

The Yannick and Ben Jakober Foundation is an example of philanthropy found on the Sa Bassa Blanca farm, an ideal place to teach educational and cultural activities and promote interest in modern and contemporary art.

The Yannick and Ben Jakober Foundation’s main objective is the conservation and restoration of Spanish Historical Heritage Assets (B.I.C. and Catalogued Assets). It also promotes Fine Arts, in general, and painting and sculpture, in particular, through the exhibition of works and artistic exchange. It operates mainly in the area of the Autonomous Community of the Balearic Islands.

The foundation was established in 1993 by the couple Yannick Vu and Ben Jakober, artists and collectors, and the philanthropist Georges Coulon Karlweis. In that year, an old underground cistern on the Sa Bassa Blanca estate was refurbished to accommodate a private collection of children’s portraits from the 16th to the 19th century. Most of the works represent children of royalty or nobility, although there are also some members of the bourgeoisie or small European provincial courts. Starting in 1995, the foundation received the first visits from groups linked to the world of art and culture, and finally, in January 2001, it opened its doors to the general public. Since then, it has offered guided tours to promote its exhibitions and rooms, constantly increasing since its creation. Exterior spaces were soon added to the Nins room in the cistern. These are the Rose Garden and the Sculpture Park, which give the foundation a very personal style, by blending art with nature and open air spaces. In 2006, the Karlweis Wing, designed by Hassan Fathy, was opened to visitors and houses a collection of contemporary art and a polychrome Mudejar coffered ceiling from 1498. Finally, in 2007, the SoKraTES Room and the zoo, which completes the Sculpture Park with immense granite animals, were added.

Others awards in Islas Baleares: