Retirada, a rounded plaster sculpture with a dark circular opening, positioned among trees beside a forest path in Catalonia. — retirada

A quiet presence along a hunter's path.

Retirada (2018–21) is a site-responsive sculpture made from plaster and locally gathered natural materials, situated beside a hunter's path within the forest. Named after the Spanish word retirada ("retreat"), the work has gradually evolved through repeated visits, weather and subtle intervention. Inspired by the shelter-building instincts of the potter wasp, it has become a refuge for insects and small creatures. Positioned above a dry-stone wall, the sculpture meets the viewer at eye level, becoming a modest landmark within the forest.

Retirada filmed April 2025

Retirada after weathering and reworking, 2021

Unable to return to the site during the Covid pandemic, the sculpture was left to weather naturally. When I revisited it, I chose not to restore the work but to rework its form, introducing a more sheltered entrance while allowing it to continue evolving.

Retirada above the dry-stone wall, 2018

Distant view of the rounded plaster sculpture positioned among tall trees beside the forest path.

Retirada between the trees, 2018

Close view of the weathered plaster form and its dark circular opening, resting above the dry-stone wall between two tree trunks.