Parasimón

The graves were exhumed, one in June 2018 and the other in September 2023, by the forensic anthropology team of the Sociedad de Ciencias Aranzadi, as part of a research process lasting several years that began in 2010. That year, the relatives of Luis Cienfuegos — who disappeared in 1937 — found the testimony of Celesto García, a resident of Pajares who witnessed the shooting and burial of two groups of people, one of twelve and another of ten, among them Luis.

Through a combination of sounds and images, Parasimón pays tribute to the lives that were lost, honours the memory of those who suffered in the past and bears witness to the importance of remembering and confronting our history.

In the installation, the sounds of the excavation, the voices of the victims’ relatives and the whispers of nature are set against footage of this idyllic Asturian spot, which for so many years wrapped the tragedy in oblivion and silence.

The work seeks to create a space of empathy and restitution, a place where visitors can immerse themselves in an emotional experience and reflect on the importance of memory, truth and justice in building a more understanding and peaceful future.

Acknowledgements: Asociación de Familiares y Amigos “Fosa Parasimón”, Sociedad de Ciencias Aranzadi, Euskal Prospekzio Taldea, Jorge Olmo Ron Prada, José Antonio Naves Cienfuegos, Javier Naves Cienfuegos and Antxoka Martínez Velasco.