TACLOBAN CITY – Tacloban-born Filipina-Swiss artist and gallerist Minerva Mondejar-Steiner is representing the Philippines at the upcoming “Forest of Civilizations” collaborative exhibit at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, an international art project symbolizing human resilience and environmental continuity.
Mondejar-Steiner, owner of the Mondejar Gallery in Zurich, Switzerland, partnered with two Czech private firms for the outdoor installation that showcases 133 subfossil oak trees—ancient trunks preserved underground for more than 6,500 years since the Ice Age.
“These trees represent history, resilience, and the continuity of life,” said Mondejar-Steiner, whose gallery has gained recognition in Europe for blending artistic innovation with historical and cultural consciousness.
She said the “Forest of Civilizations” project is not merely an exhibition but “a statement of how Filipino creativity and leadership can resonate on the world’s most prestigious cultural platforms, expanding the reach of Philippine art while shaping conversations on preservation and shared human history.”
The ancient oak trees—extracted from glacial sediments eight meters deep in North Moravia, Czech Republic—offer a glimpse into prehistoric climate and environmental patterns through modern scientific analysis of their annual rings.
Supported by the United Nations and several participating countries—including the Czech Republic, Norway, Monaco, Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Canada, Armenia, Colombia, Thailand, Japan, the United States, and the Philippines—the installation underscores global unity and climate awareness.
The exhibit, which opened on April 13, 2025, will run until October 13, 2025, as part of Expo 2025’s larger theme of connecting lives and sustainable futures.
(RONALD O. REYES)
