Seba Calfuqueo exhibition at Thyssen-Bornemisza

Chilean artist Seba Calfuqueo is presenting ‘Cautín’, her first solo exhibition in Europe, at the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid. Organized in collaboration with TBA21 Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary, the exhibition marks the first time a Latin American artist has exhibited at the museum in twenty years.

The showcase utilizes the Cautín River, which flows through the Araucanía region and historical territory of the Mapuche people, as a central investigative axis. Through various media—including painting, ceramics, sculpture, video-performance, and digital art—Calfuqueo explores themes of colonization, the commercialization of water, and the relationship between territory and community. The exhibition’s narrative structure follows the river from the Pacific Ocean back toward its source at the Lonquimay volcano to challenge linear historical narratives and align with Mapuche conceptions of circular time.

The exhibition features more than 25 works, including 3D animation and hand-embroidered paintings, and is scheduled to remain on display until January 17, 2027. Curated by Marina Avia Estrada, the presentation addresses the political dimensions of water rights in Chile, referencing the 1981 Water Code, and utilizes the color ‘kalfü’ (blue), which holds deep spiritual significance for the Mapuche people.