artist phil akashi spray paints homer’s odyssey onto a rooftop in ibiza

the small, uninhabited island of es vedrà in the balearic sea has become phil akashi’s inspiration for his latest site-specific project entitled, ‘mystical es vedrà’. located off the south coast of ibiza, the rocky outcrop is best known for the myths and legends which surround it – most notably the ancient greek poem, homer’s odyssey. with reference to this, the artist’s monumental work adorns the rooftop of a villa in ibiza, overlooking es vedrà, with parts from the epic poem and symbols from other related civilizations and cultures.

all images courtesy of phil akashi 

in addition to its mention within homer’s odyssey as a home for sea-nymphs and sirens, who attempted to entice odysseus from his ship with their song, the history of es vedrà is also considered to be connected to the phoenicians and the carthaginians. for the phoenicians, (the ancient mediterranean civilization) the small island was thought as the birth place of tanit – their goddess of fertility who is known as the symbol of ibiza. with this in mind, akashi has also layered the rooftop with letters of the phoenician alphabet, replicas of sa caleta remains where the phoenicians first settled, and representations of the goddess.

the artwork includes parts of the major ancient greek epic poem, homer’s odyssey, letters of the phoenician alphabet, replicas of sa caleta remains and representations of the tanit goddess

the history of ibiza has been enriched later with carthaginians, greeks, romans and arab occupations, and since 1999, large portions of the island have been registered as UNESCO world heritage sites. with this project, akashi journeys into the diverse languages and civilizations, conveying the intricate mosaic of cultures which make up the history of es vedrà and ibiza. in essence, the artist intends to pay tribute to one of the most spiritual, enigmatic and inspiring corners of the white island.

representations of the phoenician tanit goddess worshiped as the goddess of fertility, life and death, and symbol of ibiza

the artist watching over the island of es vedrà

project info:

project name: ‘mystical es vedrà’

project location: ibiza, spain

artist: phil akashi 

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lynne myers | designboom