Cúmulus: Ten Years of Ecology and Collaboration in Panama

Bringing together 25 artists from diverse backgrounds, the show revisits the most significant projects of this Panamanian platform founded by Ela Spalding in 2012, dedicated to cultivating bonds between human and non-human beings, between communities and territories.

The word cúmulus—which refers both to a type of cloud and to the accumulation of many immaterial things—serves as an image for the flexible, shifting networks woven by Estudio Nuboso over time. This approach is embodied in their SUELO methodology, which brings together art, thought, and regenerative practices to reconnect with the environment starting from the most fundamental element: the ground. Projects developed in Veraguas (2014), Colombia (2022), and a field guide in progress since 2020 reflect this conceptual and territorial expansion. The piece Soil-erg (2012) by Claire Pentecost serves as an early seed of inspiration.

The exhibition also revisits experiences from the Art and Science LAB, where artists and scientists engaged in collaborative research processes with social impact. From Chiriquí in 2015 to Barro Colorado Island in 2023, these initiatives led to interdisciplinary workshops for educators and residencies focused on tropical science, in collaboration with institutions such as STRI, SENACYT, and FundAHrte.

Cúmulus is not just a retrospective—it is also an active platform for imagining possible futures. Through the Nature-Culture Corridor Map, developed in collaboration with Almanaque Azul and Dominique Ratton Pérez, the exhibition space transforms into a participatory echo system, spotlighting key actors and gestures of care across Panama’s territory. A studio inspired by the El Jilguero Reserve—Estudio Nuboso’s physical and symbolic point of origin—serves as a space for reflection, documentation, and collective action.

In a time of environmental crisis, this exhibition embraces art as a tool for connection, resistance, and hope. In the face of global challenges, Cúmulus offers a regenerative vision that is deeply rooted in place.