“Natividad Pulido, journalist. January 2006. In that almost exact second when the lights were switched off in the theater, and the darkness and silence were perfectly blended, that characteristic atmosphere was formed, when the show is about to start and you wonder how. It is always very exciting. I sat back in my seat once again. I never get settled, actually, it's a horrible, desperate defect, there's always a wrinkle in my clothes that makes me uncomfortable, or an itch that starts in an arm and ends in an ankle, or an uncomfortable posture, or a head in front that moves and hinders my vision, or anything else like that. It's rare for me to be completely quiet for two minutes at a time. More than two minutes means I'm dead, probably”.

Natividad Pulido, periodista. Enero de 2006. En el segundo casi exacto en que se apagaron las luces del teatro, y la oscuridad y el silencio quedaron perfectamente mezclados, se formó esa atmósfera tan característica, cuando la obra está a punto de empezar y tú te preguntas cómo. Es muy emocionante siempre. Me acomodé en la butaca una vez más. Yo nunca acabo de acomodarme, en realidad, es un defecto horrible, desesperante, siempre hay una arruga en la ropa que me incordia, o un picor que empieza en un brazo y acaba en un tobillo, o una postura incómoda, o una cabeza por delante que se mueve y dificulta mi visión, o cualquier otra cosa por el estilo. Es raro que me esté del todo quieta dos minutos seguidos. Más de dos minutos significa que estoy muerta, seguramente.

This is how the novel "Obra Maestra" begins, a book by Juan Tallón that narrates the disappearance of one of Richard Serra's great works, created for the grand opening of the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid.

In 1986, what was once a hospital would now house one of the most important centers of contemporary art in the world. The new museum had prepared for the occasion a major exhibition, "References: An Artistic Encounter Through Time," as well as commissioning the work "Equals-Parallels: Guernica-Bengasi" from the American sculptor. A minimalist work that spoke of space, history and memory, a work that marked a milestone, but that, after years in obscurity, ended up disappearing.

The new museum had prepared for the occasion a major exhibition, "References: An Artistic Encounter Through Time," as well as commissioning the work "Equals-Parallels: Guernica-Bengasi" from the American sculptor. A minimalist work that spoke of space, history and memory, a work that marked a milestone, but that, after years in obscurity, ended up disappearing.

In the 1990s, the piece was moved to a warehouse, where it went unnoticed for more than a decade, up to 2005, when the news of its disappearance was reported. The company that had been assigned the custody of the work had gone bankrupt, so the warehouse where the work was kept was expropriated.

Today, the location of this work is still unknown, as police investigations have failed to discover the mystery. It is not known if it was melted, lost or stolen.

Therefore, in order to solve the problem, the Reina Sofia and Richard Serra reached an agreement to create an identical copy of the work, which sparked criticism and opened the debate on the originality and authenticity of the work.

Therefore, in order to solve the problem, the Reina Sofia and Richard Serra reached an agreement to create an identical copy of the work, which sparked criticism and opened the debate on the originality and authenticity of the work.

Beyond the myth and history surrounding this work, it is considered a masterpiece. A piece which tells us about history, about how two historical events, the Guernica bombing and the bombing of the city of Benghazi, resonate in memory and in history, to build narratives and therefore be able to understand the world, or get closer to its knowledge.

Under the title "Equals-Parallels: Guernica-Bengasi", the artist aims to create this dialogue with the space that houses it. Giving the sculpture the same height as the window sills of the museum. These four blocks create a space in the middle of the room where the viewer enters the space of the sculpture, creating a dialogue between the visitor, the work and the environment.

Under the title "Equals-Parallels: Guernica-Bengasi", the artist aims to create this dialogue with the space that houses it

We were very sad to learn of the passing away of the American sculptor due to pneumonia last Tuesday, March 26, so we wanted to remember the artist with this great work and the unusual story that happened 20 years ago. It is a great loss for the art scene, but thanks to his creations and his work, we can still enjoy and connect with the sculptor. Who was one of the major promoters of the minimalist movement and Land Art, has left us great works for dialogue and thought, creating spaces and reflections that still remain...

We were very sad to learn of the passing away of the American sculptor due to pneumonia last Tuesday, March 26, so we wanted to remember the artist with this great work and the unusual story that happened 20 years ago.