Indoor
Paintings
Galápagos
Year
2025
Size
116 x 89 cm (H x W)
Technique
Acrylic on canvas
This painting, located at Volcano Alcedo, portraits an Alcedo giant tortoise, a subspecies of domed tortoise. In this work, the shells of the domed tortoises transform into Scalesia trees. The domed tortoises represent living fossils that reveal the evolutionary process: from the trees themselves, new tortoises emerge—future generations with potentially different physical traits as a result of evolution.
Above the domed tortoise, we found other species, such as the pink iguana, the magnificent frigatebird, and some invasive birds. It was relatively recently, in 2009, that the pink iguana was recognized as an endemic species unique to Isabela Island.
Domed tortoises can travel up to 10–15 km in a single seasonal migration, although the distance varies depending on the island and the availability of resources. During the dry season (June to December), food becomes scarce in the lowlands, so the tortoises migrate to higher, more humid areas where vegetation is more abundant. In the rainy season (January to May), food reappears in the lowlands, and the tortoises return. These movements, in addition to being crucial for their health and reproduction, also impact the ecosystem, as the tortoises help disperse seeds.
