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Dorna

Dorna is a sculpture created by Spanish artist Xaime Quesada and located in Pontevedra, Spain. It is also known as Homage to the Pilgrimage Route to Saint James of Compostela. The work was commissioned as part of a project linked to the redevelopment of Avenida Uruguay and the south bank of the Lérez River, completed in 2001. It was intended to commemorate the passage of the Portuguese pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela through this strategic point in the city. The sculpture is currently located on Gorgullón Street, on the Portuguese Way, opposite the Vialia shopping center. After a later redevelopment of the area, the roundabout was removed and some original elements were lost, including the basin and lighting.

Dorna, a rust-colored abstract metal sculpture with a pointed top and splayed base, set on a stone wall among shrubs.
Dorna sculpture in Pontevedra, shown here with its rust-colored metal form and surrounding greenery.
March 2022 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dorna, a large abstract reddish-brown metal sculpture in an outdoor plaza with landscaping and city buildings behind it.
Dorna rises in a sunny public space in Pontevedra, with its weathered metal planes set against the sky and nearby buildings.
May 2024 © · CC0
Dorna sculpture with a rust-colored textured curved form resting on white pebbles in a city square.
Dorna sculpture in Pontevedra, shown here as a rust-colored curved form on white pebbles.
May 2024 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dorna rust-colored metal sculpture with a sail-like curved shape in a landscaped area with palm trees and a white building behind it.
Dorna sculpture standing in a landscaped area with palm trees and a modern building in the background.
December 2014 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dorna sculpture with a rusty metal surface, circular holes, and a basin filled with gravel in a park setting.
Detail of Dorna, showing its weathered metal surface and gravel-filled basin outdoors.
May 2024 © · CC BY-SA 4.0

Identification

TitleDorna
TypeSculpture

Creator

ArtistXaime Quesada
Artist nationalitySpanish
Artist originOurense

Historical context

Commission year2001
Commission contextCommissioned as a commemorative monument for the passage of the Portuguese Way of the Camino de Santiago through this strategic point of the city
Project contextCreated as the culmination of the redevelopment of Avenida de Uruguay and the southern bank of the Lérez River, carried out by the Spanish Ministry of Public Works
Year completed2001
Inauguration date20 August 2001
Design settingDesigned for a roundabout with a basin of water around the sculpture and illuminated with a colored-water effect
Original site featureInstalled on a large roundabout created on Avenida de Uruguay

Location and ownership

Nearby landmarkVialia shopping center
Associated routePortuguese Way of the Camino de Santiago
Current locationGorgullón Street, on the Portuguese Way of the Camino de Santiago, opposite the Vialia shopping center, Pontevedra, Spain
Original locationThe roundabout on Avenida de Uruguay at the entrance to the Burgo Bridge, Pontevedra, Spain

History and restoration

Later alterationIn October 2006 the section of Avenida de Uruguay where the sculpture was located was redesigned; the roundabout was removed and the basin and lighting were lost

Physical characteristics

FormShaped like an old Galician dorna, a traditional fishing boat of the Rías Baixas, with its sail unfurled in the wind
OrientationThe bow points toward Santiago de Compostela

Materials

MaterialCast iron

Appearance

Dynamic effectThe sail is driven by the wind to create a sense of movement

Iconography and meaning

SubjectRepresents Galicia as a land of water, light, and wind
DedicationA tribute to the Camino de Santiago
SymbolismSymbolizes the pilgrim undertaking the journey to Santiago de Compostela
Local significanceEmphasizes Pontevedra's maritime character and its relationship with the sea
Material symbolismCast iron was associated by the artist with the idea that its self-oxidation makes it eternal, like the pilgrimage route