With the solo exhibition "Meer im Stein" (Ocean in Stone), Eduardo Palomares transforms the historic Schlosspavillon into an evocative, poetic spatial installation. Through sculptures made of ceramic and stone, paintings, videos, and site-specific works, he takes us on a sensory journey exploring salt in its various forms, its history, and its profound significance in our lives.
Eduardo Palomares (b. 1992) initially studied art in Madrid before moving to Munich, where he completed his diploma at the Academy of Fine Arts in 2024. The exhibition "Meer im Stein" marks his first solo museum exhibition.
Palomares is fascinated by how landscapes erode and transform over vast periods of time, and the memories they carry within. For this exhibition in Ismaning, he explores these themes through the medium of salt. The salt featured in the exhibition originates from the Bavarian Alps; it was originally sea salt, now embedded within mountain caves, harboring millions of years of geological history. It speaks to a time when Europe was covered by primeval oceans. Thus, salt appears as a memory that connects sea and mountain, past and present. It exemplifies Palomares’ worldview: that everything is interconnected and exists in a state of relationship.
Set within the Schlosspavillon—a site of aristocratic heritage—Palomares also references the history of salt as a trade commodity in Bavaria, the role of the Isar as a waterway, the founding of Munich, and the immense value of "white gold" in previous centuries.
Salt manifests in the exhibition in diverse forms. Hanging threads serve as sites for salt crystallization, appearing like stalactites. In a condensed timeframe, Palomares mimics a natural process that typically takes thousands of years—creating an image of the mountain interiors where salt is stored, and illustrating how natural elements continuously shift their appearance and state.
Ceramics hold particular importance for Palomares; he submerges them in salt water so that crystals form on the surface, creating a white crust. These ceramics are layered into slender towers inspired by stalagmites, yet they also evoke plants, blossoms, or corals. They offer a visceral experience of how something grows layer by layer, while their grey hues simultaneously recall dying corals that break apart over time, eventually dissolving into sea sand.
Furthermore, the archaic form of the vessel plays a central role. Bowls carved from stone connect us to early human history, when vessels were first used as tools to collect and store water. These works are titled "Arjé," referencing the "Arche"—the beginning or origin of all life, which lies in water. Pitchers used by Palomares for a performance on the opening day further expand on this theme.
During his 2025 artist residency in Venezuela, Palomares learned ancient clay-processing techniques from local artisans. He harvested the clay directly from the earth, shaped and fired it, and subsequently crystallized it with salt. Due to the high earth content, these vessels lack the durability of standard pottery; over time, they slowly crumble, eventually returning to the earth.
In Venezuela, Palomares collaborated with artisans on a performance captured on film for the exhibition. Using amphorae to collect salt and seawater, he carried them into the island's mountains. This action, characterized by an archaic stillness, connects sea and mountain through the materiality of clay, salt, and water, making a natural cycle sensually perceptible.
Palomares also incorporates salt into his abstract paintings, where it rises from the canvas in relief like white paint. Alongside this, he uses silver leaf and a dominant blue—pigments derived from the earth—recalling the depths of the sea and the primordial origin of Bavarian rock salt.