Luna Paiva's 300-Kilogram Stainless Steel Totem Installed at Bofill's La Fábrica

Luna Paiva has unveiled a 300-kilogram stainless steel sculpture named Totem at La Fábrica, the renowned industrial site designed by Ricardo Bofill in Sant Just Desvern, Barcelona. Resembling a stack of imagined stones, the sculpture was crafted using the lost-wax method by Alfa Arte, a cooperative foundry located in the Basque Country. Paiva initiated her totem series in 2018, dedicating two years to modeling the pieces in clay at full scale. The installation was suggested by her husband, Pablo Bofill, and organized by architect Nadia Rodriguez, whose father co-founded the foundry. The project involved various generations, with Héctor Civera filming alongside Gabriel Ventosa and Bernat Brondo, while Gregori Civera captured the sculpture's crane-lifted image. Drawing on archaeological motifs, Totem reflects Paiva's diverse heritage—Guaraní, Spanish, Scottish, and Polish. Viewing La Fábrica as an archaeological site, she integrates Totem into its rich history. The casting involved heating stainless steel to around 1,600°C, and the sculpture's elevation above the rooftops evokes a scene from Federico Fellini's La Dolce Vita.