The Kapwani Kiwanga exhibition “Estados cambiantes” has opened at the Fundación Miró in Barcelona, marking the first presentation of the Franco-Canadian artist’s work in Spain. The show covers Kiwanga’s key projects from the past decade and features three new pieces created specifically for this venue. One of them is inspired by Joan Miró’s personal habit of always carrying a carob pod in his pocket, which became the starting point for the textile series Capacidad de carga.
Kapwani Kiwanga, winner of the Joan Miró Prize 2025, explores in her work the intersections of memory, materiality, and historical power asymmetries. In her new series, the artist uses fragments of clothing—trousers and jackets—to create abstract objects reminiscent of shelters. This approach refers to the gesture of returning home and personal protection, which Miró associated with the pocket and his carob talisman.
Materials and symbols
The exhibition is curated in close collaboration with Martina Millà. Upon entering the first hall, visitors encounter the installation Campo elíptic o—a suspended wall made of sisal, a fiber from agave grown in Tanzania and Mexico. Through a combination of metal and natural materials, Kiwanga demonstrates how the movement of cultures and resources impacts landscapes and economies. Other rooms display ceramic works such as Fuego and Barbecho, as well as the compositions Canopio and Orbe (2023), featuring vibrant colors, ropes, and wood.
The theme of control and surveillance occupies an important place. The sculpture Celosía (2018) reproduces a decorative screen with mirrored slats, referencing colonial architecture and modern surveillance practices. In Medidas blandas (2018), the artist combines striped fabrics with polished granite, alluding to the theory of Pangaea and the idea of a single continent.
Historical and geographical context
Kapwani Kiwanga, an anthropologist by training, explores historical processes linked to colonialism, migration, and the redistribution of resources in her projects. In one of the halls, photographs of stones stacked atop each other are on display, symbolizing the geological processes that separated Spain and Morocco via the Strait of Gibraltar. The artist addresses artificial landscapes and human intervention in nature, using familiar materials—shade nets, ceramics, and textiles.
The exhibition features vibrant visuals and a complex, multi-layered structure. According to Kiwanga, she aims to create works that allow viewers to find their own meanings on different levels. Fundación Miró also hosts a public program: a series of discussions, performances, and poetry sessions, as well as a space for relaxation and recording messages of support, including works by students from L’Hospitalet de Llobregat.
Background
Kapwani Kiwanga was born in Hamilton (Canada) and has taken part in exhibitions at Jeu de Paume (Paris), New Museum (New York), Haus der Kunst (Munich), Copenhagen Contemporary, and others. The exhibition “Estados cambiantes” is open until September 13. According to the Fundación Miró, the project expands the understanding of contemporary art and its connection with history and society.
