La Residencia, As Seen By François Halard

François Halard’s love for architecture and antiques started from a young age. He was surrounded by trinkets, design and architectural photography in his childhood — his parents were the celebrated French interior designers and decorators Michelle and Yves Halard. The family’s doors were always open to an illustrious circle of creative friends. Their 18th-century home became the backdrop for Helmut Newton's fashion photoshoot for a day, which prompted his desire to start exploring this medium himself. One of his first assignments was to capture Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé’s home in Paris, and throughout his career, he shot the interiors of Mexican architect Luis Barragán, fashion designer Marc Jacobs and photographer Richard Avedon, sublimating details of their intimate spaces.

Halard’s background makes his vision particularly fitting to capture life at La Residencia, our haven of creativity located in the idyllic village of Deià. The hotel’s rich artistic heritage dates back to the 1960s, attracting art lovers from all over the world with a stunning location on the northwest coast of Mallorca. After all, here is the place where noted Spanish sculptor and painter Joan Miró spent much of his life — and his final days. From poet Robert Graves to David Bowie, celebrated names have sought refuge in La Residencia, immersing themselves in our remote, awe-inspiring enclave.

Halard captured photographs of the artists’ studio, seduced by the appeal of a space brimming with creative freedom. Here he catches masterpieces in the making — scattered brushes are ready to be put to work, and pieces of raw clay wait in the sun.

But a glance out of the window is a reminder that the artistic energy of La Residencia is alive in the landscape too. Sculptures in bronze terracotta mingle with the olive and citrus trees perfuming the air. The turquoise blue swimming pool blends with the sky. Like a painting replete with endless details, the mountains framing the background cast long shadows in the light of the Mediterranean sun.

Halard’s sensitivity to light and colour is evident in his work. His lens pursues that soft light on the horizon, dancing beyond the rugged Tramuntana mountains. Perhaps that’s what brought him to the grounded hideaway of Cala Deià, the tranquil cove sheltered by fragrant pine forests. A place where bohemian lovers secretly head, lulled by the slow pace of the waves. Where they seek inspiration from the natural beauty of the surroundings. Where the Mallorcan light organically paints with its golden brush.