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“Güercu” (2026) is a video and painting installation project that explores Asturian territorial identity through two fundamental aspects of its collective memory: industry and mythology. The project draws inspiration from two myths taken from the work of Constantino Cabal: the first is the ‘Borrina’l Güercu’, a cloud which, it is said, traps travellers in the early hours of the morning, causing them to lose their bearings and be unable to find their way home. The second is the ‘Güercu’, a sort of ‘doppelgänger’ that takes on the appearance of those who have recently died or are about to do so. It also incorporates a third myth: a local legend about a creature that lives in a lake polluted by industrial waste and can only be detected using electronic devices.

Through an installation featuring digital special-effects projections onto paintings, the project seeks to explore the importance of fantastical narratives in shaping our identities and addressing our contemporary issues, just as the ‘fragmented’ and Anthropocene landscapes that mould us do.

This project has been selected for the Artist Residencies of the 2026 Bienal Climática in collaboration with the Factoría Cultural de Avilés, and will form part of the Bienal’s exhibition programme from 12 to 30 September.

Colour grading: María Blázquez
“Cloud Woman” and “güercu”: María Barrena and Carlos de Arquer, respectively.