Guernica de la Ecología

Guernica de la Ecología is a traveling, visual manifesto for climate justice, calling for the widespread, inclusive restoration and protection of biodiversity and craftsmanship through engagement with local sources of material and knowledge.

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Claudy Jongstra’s swirling, ominous composition is an expression of the violent destruction of our ecosystem in the face of climate change and intensive agriculture. The title, colour palette, and dimensions of the artwork (360 x 790 cm) reference the iconic Guernica painted by Pablo Picasso in 1937 as an indictment against the violence during the Spanish Civil War. For Jongstra, shades of black, white, and sepia depict a world where vital biodiversity is under threat and colour has been stripped from the landscape. The travelling exhibition of Guernica de la Ecología was driven by key political and cultural events and generated vibrant momentum across Europe and sparked particularly inspiring dialogues within the Spanish context. Each exhibition was complimented by programming that engaged local communities with the artwork’s philosophical mission through lectures, symposia, workshops, and masterclasses.