On the Spanish quarantine island, artists cut off contact and mobile phones were banned – huge

Quarantine has been called an “artist’s purgatory” dedicated to finding freedom through restraint. This intensive residency is named for its site: an 18th-century lazaretto off the coast of Menorca, Spain.

This fortress in Port Mahon was built between 1793 and 1807 as a sanitary prison where travelers would be docked and quarantined for several weeks or until they recovered from illness. The facility closed about a century later, although the Gothic buildings and cemetery that were once critical to its operations remain. Today, the secluded island is commonly used as a tourist destination, event venue and home to mysterious residences.

Conceived by artist Carles Gomilla in 2017, the residency has remained in an experimental phase and gone through several iterations before finally debuting in its current form in 2023 with partners Joan Taltavull, Itziar Lecea and Darren Green. Gomila is deeply committed to the ethos of isolation. Each spring and fall, he and his team invite about 60 people to the island, where they spend a week immersed in the rigorous program. Details of each release are confidential and no cell phones are allowed.

This unfettered approach creates a special focus and a sense of shared vulnerability, since everything that happens on the island does indeed stay on the island (residents even have the opportunity to burn the results of their work on weekends). The aim, the curators say, is to push artists to find their own purpose, a task they undertake through carefully crafted schedules. Gomilla is quick to make the distinction that quarantine should not be viewed as a retreat, but rather as a training program that requires participants to push beyond their typical limits.

Residents rotate between art labs and sessions with a range of high-profile mentors – upcoming editions include artists we’ve profiled at Colossal, Yuko Shimizu and Martin Wittfooth – as well as a variety of evening programming. The details of Art Lab events are always changing, and every day and session brings surprises and novelties. Contrast is key, Gomila said, and so is risk. Although the structure of the program remains consistent, less than half of the activities and specific prompts are repeated. “I’ve found that the greater the risk, the better the results,” Gomila added. “That’s a big incentive for each version to change.”

Because the course is not prescriptive and does not focus on perfecting technique or introducing theory, it functions as the opposite of the typical courses you find in art schools. The labs draw inspiration from “art, education, psychology and strategy,” Gomilla said. “I believe technology is extremely important, but we need to build something that complements it.” Instead, Quarantine focuses on mindset. “We urge you to face your fears, forget what limits you, and rediscover the fire that allows you to create,” a statement on its website reads.

While the program focuses primarily on producing visual works, it attracts people who may not consider themselves artists first. Lawyers, psychiatrists, and even rescue dog trainers work alongside designers, art directors, and concept designers.

The theme for the upcoming version is Tears in the Rain, a reference to Ridley Scott’s iconic monologue blade runner. Detachment from work is a central intention, as in all versions of Isolation, and part of the philosophy its creators hope to promote.

Colossal will participate in this spring’s program from April 13-19, 2026. Find out more about joining us and the application process on the Quarantine website.