By Kat Barrow-Horth, for RRFA
A short distance from the whitewashed town of Cadaques on Spain’s Costa Brava, a staggered house sits perched above an unassuming bay known as Port Llligat. The home, initially a fishing hut, belonged to artist Salvador Dali & his wife, Gala.
The two purchased the hut & surrounding olive groves in 1930 as a protest of Dali’s father who forbade nearby hoteliers in Cadaques from renting to them. Over forty years, the couple transformed the shed into a twisting, labyrinthian home full of surrealistic imagery, yet surprisingly…. normal. In his autobiography “La Vida Secreta de Salvador Dali” the artist describes the home as an oasis from the outside world. “I wanted it all good & small ̶̶ the smaller the more womb-like“. A tour on a warm summer afternoon gave an intimate view into the artist’s private life, leaving us utterly charmed.
Years of studying Dali led us to believe his grand character required comparable accommodations. Yet, the rooms are small with narrow corridors creating a confusing maze of staggered steps. It’s impossible not to imagine the normalcy of Dali making coffee in the morning or sitting in his favorite room, the library, quietly reading science books wearing slippers and a robe.
Dali’s home has a neutral palette of white and tan with Gala’s yellow flowers dotting the home. Their bedroom was opulent, with high ceilings, draped beds & an angled mirror that overlooked the port. Dali claimed to be the first man in Spain to see the sunrise.
Dali’s artwork reveals themes of eggs, swans, tires & crutches, elements which are scattered through the complex. He enjoyed working in his quiet studio and lounging by their white-washed pool. The couple’s eccentric art parties were held outdoors as the house was too small for guests, but they liked to take visitors along the choppy coast on their yellow wooden boat, fittingly dubbed “Gala”.
The house affords visitors a unique opportunity to peer into Dali’s very quiet and private life, one which he abandoned upon the death of his wife and love in 1982. To truly understand the motivations of an artist, it is important to experience their multi-faceted existence & Casa Dali allows us to do just that.
