By Jason Moore

Copyright majorcadailybulletin

One of Mallorca’s finest and most historic possessions has been purchased by island-based U.S. businessman Drew Aaron. The estate, which dates from the 12th century, is situated on top of the hills overlooking the town of Valldemossa. S’Atalaya was built at the same time as the world-famous La Cartuja, or Charter House, as it is now known, where Frédéric Chopin, George Sand, and many other notables lived. According to friends, Drew Aaron bought the house “to give something back to the island, as a result of the warm welcome he and his family received since moving to Mallorca.”

Drew Aaron is the founder of Spain’s largest art gallery, Gallery RED, which has 18 spaces throughout Spain, 8 of which are open to the public and 10 by appointment. He curates the art for the major private airports in Spain, including Mallorca and Ibiza. Gallery Red has recently expanded into Paris, which has become the global hub for the contemporary art market.

Drew Aaron is also the Chairman and owner of Lionsgate Capital, the leading luxury financing company in Spain, which has become the key solution for high-net-worth individuals looking to optimise their real estate investment when purchasing in the country of Spain. Lionsgate Capital’s corporate headquarters include another of Aaron’s coveted historic possessions in Mallorca, located in the prestigious and beautiful Constitution 1 building on Paseo Del Borne, directly across from Louis Vuitton. A friend of Aaron’s shared that he has a deep love and passion for the island of Mallorca and respects its nature and rich history.

The house was orginally used by monks.

S’Atalaya, the name of his newest home in Valldemossa, translates to “Watch Tower” as it has views stretching from the bay of Palma to the entire village of Valldemossa and the picturesque views of the Tramuntana Mountain range. The house, built over 1000 years ago, was originally used by monks, and later used as a lookout space during times of discord on the island because of its elevated vantage point. The estate is equipped with eight double suite bedrooms, including a grand master suite with its own living room and master bathroom in addition to several other original structures separate from the main home. S’Atalaya is considered to be one of Mallorca’s finest and most important properties, home to various well-known artists, musicians, and even royalty over the past hundred years.

Drew Aaron has sold his finca named Turmalina, one of the finest homes in the centre of the island, to a well-respected and highly regarded German and Austrian couple, who preside over a premier multinational company, bringing something very special to that part of the island.

So how did the leading U.S. businessman and global top art collector get involved with Mallorca?
“I had traveled all over the world while building business based in the U.S., running different types of companies from commodity trading, real estate development, architecture, to art and interior design, working on large-scale projects on five continents. Almost 20 years ago, we came to Mallorca for the first time and fell in love with the charm of the island instantly, with its vast culture and beautiful landscape. Each summer, we came back to explore different parts of the evolving island and were really amazed with what it had to offer and how truly special Mallorca is. It’s an international community and a great mix of all walks of life. We also noticed over the years how the island was growing: the never ending offering of culture, fabulous new restaurants, venues, hospitals, clinics, and infrastructure, amazing new international schools, and, most importantly for us, the level of safety, which was a large issue coming from New York City. The local government has done a great job of supporting ethical and cultural investors who are looking to raise the profile of the island and trying to keep Mallorca authentic and not overpopulated, which is no easy task. Well-connected flights have made it easier for everyone to come and go, and Mallorca has, without question, become one of the most prominent global luxury destinations. I am very passionate about the island and was asked a few years ago by a close friend, Hans Lenz, to join the Board of Directors of Mallorca Preservation Foundation, or MAPF. I have found this to be a very fulfilling experience, and even though I’m not trying to take on new projects or commitments, giving back to this very special place where we live is extremely important, and MAPF is doing important work in an effort to protect Mallorca, promote sustainability and a more ecological lifestyle.”

How did Drew get involved in the world of art in Mallorca?
“In 2017, I had been buying a lot of art for our rustic finca (in Alaró). Rather than fill it with Damien Hirst and Basquiat, we tried to be authentic to Spain and purchase works for our home primarily from Spanish artists—from the very well-known to the top young emerging artists from places like Madrid, Barcelona, and, of course, Mallorca.

“Then, in 2018, one of the owners of a local Palma gallery came to meet with us at Lionsgate. I thought she came to show me a piece of art, but instead she shared she was leaving to care for her elderly mother in Barcelona, and asked me if I wanted to buy her gallery. At first, I said absolutely not… I love art, and I have a lot of close friends who are top dealers or own great international galleries, but I didn’t know anything about running an art gallery myself… so thank you, but no thank you. Somehow I reluctantly agreed, and as they say, the rest is history!”. But I do believe in the ever-changing, global art world, we have created a new gallery business model that is helping in revolutionising the art world, focusing on accessibility and having something for anyone and everyone who appreciates art.

What appealed when you started collecting art, and how do you decide today what to put in the gallery?
“Before I launched Gallery Red, I was a private collector for 20 years. My focus was on blue-chip artists, including Warhol, Basquiat, Richter, George Condo, Picasso, etc. Today, my focus is concentrated much more on living and international emerging artists. The art market has been a great investment over the years, but the pricing has risen exponentially, and at this point, purchasing a work by some of my favourite artists, such as Rothko, Twombly, Mondrian, De Kooning, etc., has just become too expensive.

Who would you say is the artist to look out for and why? What makes them interesting to you?
“It depends on a lot of factors. First, And foremost, I need to love the work. It’s important for me also to equally like the artist as a person, and understand what inspires them, their vision, and their long-term outlook. We want artists who posses a natural-born talent and potential career progression and trajectory that proves they have the capacity to be the next Picasso or Jeff Koons down the road. We like artists who become part of the Gallery RED family, who support each other, and who we genuinely enjoy spending time with. We are proud to say we are actively representing artists from five continents and over 25 countries including talented local artists. We receive over 100 submissions from international artists every week. In building Gallery RED and any business venture, I’ve been involved in, it has been learning a lot from mistakes, and it’s been a very humbling process. Being a gallerist comes with a lot of responsibility, as we need to help guide our artists in their careers, make sure we’re putting their works in the right collections and institutions from every major art city—hosting solo shows in New York, Miami, Madrid, Brussels, etc. Thankfully, we have a fantastic team at Gallery RED, and we work together to do the best we can by our artists.”