Mural for the festival PAREES 2024

This mural reflects on the challenges facing the Asturian apples, from their production to consumption. Through a visual language, it explores the contrast between the past and the future of this emblematic crop.

Past and Future:

On the left, the apples are shown clearly, representing the different varieties of local Asturian production. On the right, however, the apples are pixelated, symbolizing the gradual loss of local production and the growing disconnect with natural processes. These pixels also represent the digital era, which often distances us from nature. At the same time, they suggest a future image that’s still “loading”—uncertain but full of challenges ahead.

The Central Figure:

I wanted to portray a young woman because the youth represent the generational relay, but also because it was a girl whose feedback and story, centered on several generations of women dedicated to apple farming, was key to this mural. The seedling tattoo on her arm symbolizes ongoing efforts to recover and preserve this invaluable crop.

 The “Carbonero” bird:

Flying across the scene is a coal tit, perched like a guardian of the apple trees. This bird, commonly found in orchards, plays a key role in pest control and symbolizes the interconnectedness between nature and agriculture.

This mural doesn’t aim to present a negative outlook but rather poses questions and challenges that we must face to preserve our traditions and address the future.

Photos by  @mirarhaciaatras