Location: Museo Reina Sofía, Madrid.
CO₂ Emissions: Approximately 61,000 tons over the past 10 years
Focus: Climate Justice
Counterpart: El Anatsui – "Earth’s Skin"
Context & Connection
Pablo Picasso’s Guernica (1937) is more than a painting; it is a universal cry against the devastation of war. Created in response to the bombing of the Basque town of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War, its fragmented forms and monochromatic palette capture the chaos, suffering, and collapse of society caused by human conflict. The work has become a timeless symbol of collective anguish and political protest.
El Anatsui’s Earth’s Skin (2007) offers a contemporary reflection on this devastation through the lens of environmental collapse and inequality. Crafted from recycled bottle caps, metal, and wire, Anatsui transforms discarded materials into a monumental, shimmering tapestry. Where Picasso revealed the physical and emotional toll of war, Anatsui highlights the scars left by overconsumption and climate destruction, particularly in communities most vulnerable to ecological crises—those least responsible yet hardest hit.
Statement
"Picasso’s Guernica (1937) remains a timeless indictment of the horrors of war: shattered bodies, fragmented lives, and cries of despair. El Anatsui’s Earth’s Skin (2007) brings this same urgency to a modern crisis. Made from recycled materials, his work reflects the scars of environmental collapse caused by overconsumption and systemic inequality.
Aligned with Greta Thunberg’s call for climate justice, this pairing reveals a shared truth: whether through war or environmental destruction, it is always the most vulnerable who suffer first and most. Greta reminds us that addressing the climate crisis is not only about the planet—it is about justice, equity, and holding systems of power accountable."
Why This Works
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Climate Justice and Inequality
- Guernica: Exposes human conflict and political failure.
- Earth’s Skin: Highlights modern crises driven by consumption and inequality, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations.
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Visual and Symbolic Connection
- Picasso’s stark, fractured forms convey chaos and suffering.
- Anatsui’s shimmering tapestry, crafted from discarded materials, symbolizes the beauty and pain of a wounded planet.
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Greta’s Vision
- Climate justice demands that we address the systems of inequality that harm those with the fewest resources, echoing the same injustices exposed by war.
Exhibition Context
- Guernica: A historical masterpiece that reflects the devastation of human conflict.
- Earth’s Skin: A modern monument that critiques environmental and economic injustice.
- Greta’s Message: The fight for a sustainable planet is inseparable from the fight for justice and equality.