Doñana comes to downtown Seville in the form of a major exhibition, the result of the third artist residency in the National Park, which will run through March 11, 2027. The Biodiversity Foundation (MITECO) opens the exhibition *NIDOS* this Thursday, October 22, at Patio de Banderas 16, featuring paintings, watercolors, ceramics, and photographs by Mariana Bunimov (Caracas, 1972) and Dionisio González (Gijón, 1965).
That same day, at 6:30 p.m., the two artists will lead a guided tour open to the public.
The exhibition brings to a close the third edition of AVE Doñana, the program that unites art, science, and conservation, directed by the Maldonado Education Through Art Foundation (META Miami) in collaboration with the Biodiversity Foundation and the Doñana Biological Station–CSIC. The curator is Milagros Maldonado Blaubach.
Two Perspectives on the Same Sanctuary
The nest serves as the central theme of the exhibition: it is both a biological refuge and a metaphor for Doñana as a whole—a vast nest for birds migrating between Europe and Africa.
Mariana Bunimov spent ten days at the Biological Reserve in March 2026, when the marshlands were flooded after years of drought.
She explored dunes, beaches, and forests and accompanied scientific teams as they tracked turtles, horses, and birds of prey. From these experiences emerged 57 works, including oil paintings, watercolors, acrylics, and the ceramic series *Unexpected Animals*. In these works, nests are crowned by animals that do not belong there, and the skies are filled with storks, airplanes, and birds that look like fish.
Dionisio González has known Doñana since his adolescence and has explored the reserve during different seasons, gaining access to areas normally reserved for research.
Her project, *El ojo de Doñana* (*The Eye of Doñana*), stems from a personal experience of grief that transformed her walks through the nature reserve into a way of getting to know the territory. Using digital photography and 3D modeling, she envisions ovoid structures on stilts, adapted to marshes, dunes, and lagoons, that allow for observation without disturbing the water or the wildlife. Her 52 works belong to the series *Aviarios*, *Biomas*, and *Mendelianas*.
For Maldonado, the two perspectives complement each other: Bunimov restores the sensory connection with the landscape, while González proposes an ethic of distance and stewardship.
More activities through March
“NIDOS” is accompanied by a parallel program at the same venue:
This year’s “Dialogues Between Art and Nature” focus on the human habitat of Doñana, with discussions on El Rocío, the Saca de las Yeguas, environmental education, and sustainable agriculture. The educational program “Children Paint Doñana,” which began as a pilot project in Hinojos, is expanding its scope this year to include Almonte and Aznalcázar.
There will be two meet-and-greets with the artists: Dionisio González on January 28, and Mariana Bunimov alongside Estrella de Diego on February 18.
The program also includes the presentation of the catalog for the second edition, dedicated to Carmen Laffón: *Línea de horizonte*, on November 4.
In addition to the exhibition, there are concerts and film series scheduled for March. Coming up next month:
- Screening of *Doñana National Park* and *Marisma and the Plain: Meadows and Horses*, Chapter 3, on Friday, October 30, at 6:30 p.m.
- Rocío will be screened on Friday, November 13, at 6:30 p.m.
- As for the concerts, the first will take place on Thursday, October 29, at 6:30 p.m.: “Doñana in Its Music: A Timeless Tradition.”
- This will be followed by the AVE Doñana II Catalog Exhibition, featuring Daniel Bilbao (US) and Manuel Laffón, on November 4 at 6:30 p.m.
- Guadalguía Project: Guide to the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Lower Guadalquivir River, on Thursday, November 12, 2026, at 6:30 p.m.
- El Rocío, a sanctuary in the heart of Doñana, on Thursday, November 19, at 6:30 p.m.
- La Saca de las Yeguas: A Visual Record of a Tradition, Thursday, November 26, 2026, at 6:30 p.m.
Over the past three years, AVE Doñana has attracted 38,000 visitors, more than fifty speakers, and more than twenty screenings.
How to Visit
Admission is free until capacity is reached. The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. You can find more information on the META Miami website.
The project is funded by the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan, financed by the European Union (NextGenerationEU).
