Exhibitions
Silence as a way of listening to the world through the visual poetry of Glenda León
Azkuna Zentroa presents A Tree Falls in the Forest, the first major solo exhibition of the Cuban artist in the city, a journey through art, sound, spirituality and contemporary consciousness.
What happens when a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it? This ancient philosophical dilemma about the relationship between reality and perception inspires A Tree Falls in the Forest , the new exhibition by artist Glenda León, which can be visited at Azkuna Zentroa – Alhóndiga Bilbao from June 18 to September 27, 2026.
The exhibition, conceived under the curatorial direction of Fernando Pérez, Glenda León herself, and Iván de la Nuez, offers a comprehensive retrospective of one of the most internationally renowned Latin American artists. Her career, represented in collections such as the Centre Pompidou in Paris and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and her participation representing Cuba at the Venice Biennale, attest to an artistic exploration that for decades has connected installation, photography, video, sound, and new media from a minimalist and profoundly conceptual perspective.
León transforms listening into a tool for understanding. In her creative universe, sound and silence cease to be mere physical phenomena, becoming spaces for reflection where the invisible, the spiritual, and the political converge. In contrast to a society dominated by overstimulation and constant noise, the artist champions silence as an active act of attentiveness and a path to reconnect with the body, nature, and others.
Celestial Bodies (n.6), 2017-2026, Courtesy of Estudio Glenda León.
The exhibition is organized into three large, interconnected sections. The first explores the political and social dimensions of contemporary existence through works such as Political World , Playing Field , and Summer Dream , pieces that reflect on polarization, power structures, censorship, and the contradictions of progress.
The second area focuses on nature as a network of correspondences and resonances. Works such as Butterfly Effect , About the Invisible , and Contours of the World establish a dialogue between science and poetry, questioning the limits of what we believe we perceive.
The third dimension delves into the realm of the spiritual and finds its ultimate expression in Conversio , one of Glenda León's most recent creations. This installation-performance brings together five performers dressed in garments associated with the world's major religions, who execute a choreography synchronized to the music of DJ and producer Richie Hawtin, a key figure in contemporary electronic music. As the performance unfolds, external differences dissolve, bodies shed their religious symbols, and a shared experience of connection, ecstasy, and ego dissolution emerges.
The exhibition extends beyond the main gallery with the presentation of other audiovisual works by the artist. In the AZ Irratia space of the Atrium, Talking to God (2018) is projected, while the screen in the foyer of the exhibition hall hosts Suspension (2020), expanding the dialogue between image, sound, and perception that underpins her entire artistic practice.
Although this is Glenda León's first solo exhibition in Bilbao, her connection with Azkuna Zentroa dates back to 2019, when she participated in the collective exhibition Never Real / Always True , which focused on the relationship between the art system and language through the eyes of thirteen artists.
The exhibition was presented at a press conference attended by Gonzalo Olabarria, Councilor for Culture and Governance of the Bilbao City Council; Txomin Olabarri, General Director of Azkuna Zentroa – Alhóndiga Bilbao; and the artist herself. Following the press conference, a tour of the exhibition was conducted, including the activation of Conversio , allowing visitors to experience one of the exhibition's most significant works firsthand.
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