La Muerte de los Coots 2026

Oil mixed with metal on canvas
Size: 100 × 100 cm

La Muerte de los Coots was inspired by a pair of coots that built a nest on my boat. Over time, I observed the female laying and protecting her eggs while the male guarded both the nest and his partner, continuously adding materials to strengthen their home. Their dedication to one another and to their future offspring became a powerful symbol of care, resilience, and devotion.

Despite their efforts, the outcome was tragic. I witnessed seagulls attempting to reach the eggs and chicks, and although I tried to intervene, I was unable to prevent what followed. One day, upon returning home, I discovered that the coot family had disappeared and none of the eggs had survived.

In the painting, a coot sits in its nest inside a discarded tyre, surrounded by drawings representing the rubbish that drifts through the canal. These elements highlight the tension between nature and the human-made environment in which the birds struggled to survive. At the bottom of the composition, five foetal coots symbolise the eggs that were lost, serving as a reminder of the fragility of life and the challenges wildlife face in polluted habitats.

Through personal observation and symbolism, La Muerte de los Coots explores themes of protection, loss, and the delicate balance between care and destruction in the natural world.