The Black Forest. Íñigo Manglano-Ovalle

The Black Forest is a project produced for the University of Navarra Museum by Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle. His project takes the form of two cubes clad in charred radiata pine wood, using a Japanese architectural technique known as "Shou Sugi-Ban, " which dates back more than a thousand years. This process creates a charred exterior, black and silver in color, which is naturally resistant to weather and decay. The two 5x5 cubes will be accompanied by large-scale images taken in the Hayedo de Quinto Real, in northern Navarra, which have the same texture as the charcoal produced from the charred pine. The printing process is also derived from charcoal, the material that is the focus of all his work.  

Based on the essay "Bauen, Denken, Wohnen" ("Building, Thinking, Dwelling") by German philosopher Martin Heidegger, this construction relates to the philosopher's cabin in the Black Forest, as well as issues such as deforestation, nature, and the ecological impact of contemporary culture. It is an implicit critique of our relationship with nature through the image of coal. The two cubes form a sculpture, but also an architectural intervention in space.

Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle (Madrid, 1961), a Spanish artist based in Chicago, has an established international career. His works have been featured in events such as the 24th International Biennial of Sao Paulo, Documenta in Kassel, and the Whitney Museum Biennial in New York. His work is included in major collections such as the Whitney Museum of American Art (New York), the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (New York), the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Monterrey (Mexico), and the Museum of Moderne Kunst (Frankfurt), among others.

He has received numerous awards, including the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Award ( 2001), the Media Arts Award from the Wexner Centerfor the Arts, Columbus, Ohio (1997-2001), and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts(1995).

*Own production for the University of Navarra Museum