“Posidònia” sculpture advocates for the conservation of mediterranean marine ecosystems

The work, inspired by Posidonia oceanica, highlights the value of Mediterranean marine ecosystems and the need to preserve them.

The Directorate General for Culture of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sports and the Baleària Foundation have inaugurated the sculpture Posidònia, by Valencian artist Juan Carlos Nadal, in the courtyard of Can Oleo, headquarters of the Directorate General for Culture. The exhibition has been organized to commemorate World Environment Day and World Oceans Day (June 8th), and the sculpture will remain on display until September 5th, 2026.

The inauguration was attended by the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports, Jaume Bauzá Mayol; the Regional Secretary for Culture and Sports; Maribel Pérez of the Baleària Foundation; and the artist himself, Juan Carlos Nadal.

The event highlights the institutional commitment to contemporary culture and environmental awareness through art. Created between 2024 and 2025, the large-scale sculpture, made of enamel on aluminum (550 x 300 x 75 cm), takes Posidonia oceanica as its central conceptual theme. This endemic Mediterranean seagrass is considered essential to maintaining the ecological balance of the sea.

The extensive Posidonia oceanica meadows located between Ibiza and Formentera were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 as part of the listing “Ibiza, Biodiversity and Culture.”

Through this piece, Nadal invites viewers to reflect on the relationship between human beings and nature, as well as on the fragility of marine ecosystems in the face of human impact. Posidonia, regarded as one of the longest-living organisms on Earth, plays a vital role in oxygen production, CO₂ absorption, coastal protection, and the preservation of marine biodiversity.

According to the artist, the work explores “the interaction between the organic and the fluid, movement and stillness, the primitive and the visceral,” with the aim of creating a sensory experience that fosters a deeper awareness of the continuity and preservation of the natural environment.

The initiative is supported by the Baleària Foundation, which previously exhibited the work at the Dénia Maritime Station, and forms part of the shared objectives linking contemporary art with environmental conservation policies promoted by the Government of the Balearic Islands.

The Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports, Jaume Bauzá, emphasized that “culture is an extraordinary tool for raising awareness and promoting shared values. This work by Juan Carlos Nadal reminds us of the importance of preserving one of the Mediterranean’s most valuable natural treasures: Posidonia oceanica, an essential element for the health of our marine ecosystems.”