New Adventure in Andorra
In October/November 2026, I was invited to install Third Space VII at Espai Caldes, as part of the XVth Textile Conference held at Escaldes-Esgordany, Andorra
Espai Caldes is located near a hot spring (above right) that gave the Andorran town Escaldes-Esgordany its name.
The impressive building (below) extends like a bridge over the road at the town’s entrance.
At the very end of this large hall (below) the individual pieces of Third Space were installed.
Setting up the installation was quite an adventure. Again and again I had to marvel at the building’s amazing view from the inside, as much to the river, above which there was a glass enclosed balcony (below),
as to the small vegetable garden (below left) on the steep side of the mountain which, so I was told, spits stones at all those who try to subject it to more construction. Piece by piece, Third Space grew and expanded its magic (right) wherever one looked.
The space that was given to me was not rectangular. It had an alcove that drew attention to a threesome (below centre) and through the individual pieces of the installation you could see the amazing works of the Bulgarian lace artist Bistra Pisancheva (below left) and the Spanish weaver Anna Champeney (below right).
Once the lighting was in place, Third Space VII started to enchant not only me (above centre). However its real magic unfolded on the 16th of October, the evening of the inauguration, when, once the day had turned night, the installation was reflected not only in the large window at the end of the hall but also the glass passage above the river (below).
We three artists (below centre, from left to right: Anna Champeney, Andrea Eimke, Bistra Pisancheva) got along really well and our works complemented each other. Anna Champeney explained to us her extraordinary collection of grafic weavings (below left). Visitors enjoyed asking questions and talking to us artists (below right).
The following day, I gave a Powerpoint talk explaining to a large number of visitors how Third Space was conceived. There was much interest in how bark cloth (tapa) is being made. It gave me great joy when Mercè Rovira told us about her recent visit to the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee of the United Nations in which the representative of Tonga requested that tapa be added to the World Heritage List.
In the afternoon, a group of mature students of the Taller Tèxtil i de Vidre (Textile and Glass Workshop) crocheted a harness which in the evening served to hold two acrobats of If Circus who flew across our heads suspended from a tall supportive metal structure.
Bistra Pisancheva and Anna Champeney gave classes in their respective textile techniques at the amazing textile and glass workshop that the exhibition’s organizer Carlos Fernandez manages.
The three artists were asked to judge a competition for innovative bobbin lace works. Amongst other criteria, the use of unusual materials (left: lichens), creativity and exquisite workmanship were rewarded. The Spanish division of OIDFA, the International Lace Guild, advertised their congress in Lanzarote in April 2027.
My wonderful friends Evelyn Beaubernard and Jeannine Huijbregt (and her husband Wil Reinders) brought me to this magic place from my home town L’Ametlla de Mar. Tonia Vila came from Arenys and Núria Armengol (and her partner Amadeu Insanta) from Terrassa to share with me this amazing exhibition. Many thanks go to them. And last, but not least I am very grateful to the Común d’Escaldes-Esgordany (and Carlos Fernandez) for inviting me and to my Facebook and lace artist friend Marta Salomo for putting me in touch with Mercè Rovira and Maite Tolo of the Girona Lacemakers Guild from where this invitation started.
