This work of art inspires to know the botanical world and introduce it in the classroom. Gonzalo offers us the opportunity to learn about tree species and awaken curiosity and imagination in children and adolescents.
The Ceiba is a tropical and subtropical forest tree in South America. In Argentina they are also seen in large cities and squares, but they naturally inhabit the yungas jungle and the Paraná jungle.
For the Mayans, the ceiba was responsible for sustaining the universe and was called Yaxché; which in the Mayan language means “green tree”. This tree was thought of as the bridge that connects the earth with the sky and the underworld.
Today it is still revered and sacred for various pre-Hispanic cultures. For them it means: life, perpetuity, greatness, goodness, strength and union.
One of the characteristics of the species that the artist highlights is that it retains too much water to satisfy its needs in times of drought and, if necessary, shares it with other species. “This is the magic of a forest, all the trees communicate in silence, they are in solidarity with each other, they share, they empower each other, they support each other and they embrace each other through their roots.”