• Sculpture in dibond and aluminum
• 291 x 289 x 155 cm

Refugio recreates a standard temporary construction model in refugee camps using the iconic painting Guernica (1937) by Pablo Picasso. Guernica, depicting a bombing of the civilian population during the Spanish Civil War, became a symbol from the outset denouncing the horrors of war.

For this project, an actual-size print of Guernica (3.49 m x 7.77 m) was used, divided into nine sections: two for the roof, four for the walls, two for the door on both sides, and an additional one to create a step. The dimensions of the shelter are 271 cm in height, 250 cm in length, and 155 cm in width, with the roof and its eaves adding 15 cm on each side. Thus, the artwork itself becomes a shelter.

This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of Picasso’s death, and we find ourselves embroiled in a war in Europe. The possibility of constructing a shelter from a piece of art that highlights the emergency situation we’re facing prompts us to reflect on the role of art and the fragility of our existence.