As part of the MARVI (Museum and Restoration Volunteering for Inclusion) project, co-funded by Erasmus+, which promotes social inclusion through cultural volunteering by strengthening the role of museums as vibrant, open, and accessible spaces for all communities, we held one of the sessions of the project’s pilot activity at the Reina Sofía National Art Museum.
The visit was organized jointly with volunteers from Volies and participants from Culturas Unidas, creating a space for encounter, dialogue, and exchange among people with different backgrounds and experiences.
During the activity, we viewed, among other works, Pablo Picasso’s Guernica (1937) and African Guernica (1967) by South African artist Dumile Feni, which are currently featured in the museum’s exhibition “History Does Not Repeat Itself, But It Rhymes”. Feni’s work, created against the backdrop of the violence and racial oppression of South African apartheid, allowed us to approach *Guernica* from a different perspective and connect experiences, cultural contexts, and diverse ways of interpreting art.
This approach proved particularly useful for the objectives of the MARVI pilot project, as it allowed us to explore how a museum visit can become a space for active participation, listening, and intercultural dialogue—where participants are not merely recipients of content but contribute their own viewpoints, experiences, and perspectives to the interpretation of the works.
The session also allowed us to continue exploring in a practical way how volunteer work can help bring museums closer to diverse communities and foster cultural spaces that are more inclusive, participatory, and connected to their social environment.
We would like to extend a special thank you to all participants for their time, willingness, generosity, and active participation during the activity—all of which are essential for continuing to learn and make progress toward the project’s objectives.
