The first allegorical sculpture of the ODS's
The excesses of the planet's inhabitants are leading us to our own destruction. For years it was
them. Today, it's all of us.
The way we produce, consume, and dispose of things has brought the planet to a critical point.
This sustained and normalized behavior not only depletes natural resources but also puts life itself
at risk. In this scenario, it's impossible to keep looking the other way.
In response to this global crisis, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) represent the clearest
agreement humanity has reached to tackle climate change and environmental degradation. They
aren't an abstract idea: they are rules, pacts, and collective commitments aimed at curbing global
warming and redefining our relationship with the planet.
From this reflection comes Descartes 6, an exhibition presented at the Fundación Santa Fe de
Bogotá gallery, conceived by the artist Didier Peña, “Dipe,” as part of the institutional program
that transforms unused hospital waste into works of art. The work takes as its main focus
Sustainable Development Goal number 3: Health and Well-Being. Although the SDGs form an
interdependent system, for the artist this goal is essential: without health and well-being, any
possibility of development collapses. From this perspective, the exhibition is organized around a
central idea: prevention as an ethical principle. This vision aligns with the philosophy of Fundación
Santa Fe de Bogotá, where health is understood not only as action against disease but as proactive
care and collective responsibility. The centerpiece of the exhibition is the first allegorical sculpture
of the Sustainable Development Goals, made up of 17 fragments.
Fragments inspired by the graphic symbol of the SDGs. Each segment represents one of the goals
and only makes full sense when connected with the others, forming a circle. The materials that
make up the work are surgical instruments and unused hospital waste, items that for ethical, legal,
and regulatory reasons cannot be reused or donated and whose usual destination is the foundry.
Tools that once saved lives are given a second symbolic chance here. Through mixed techniques,
eco-friendly resins, and processes typical of applied arts, the waste stops being trash and turns
into visual language. Discarded materials become a message. The creative process included a
participatory phase with different groups linked to the Santa Fe Foundation of Bogotá, followed by
consolidation work in the artist’s studio. More than a finished piece, the exhibition proposes a
space for active reflection.
From the convergence of art, health, and social responsibility, Didier Peña, “Dipe,” proposes a
work that seeks to inform through beauty, spark reflection, and motivate action. This exhibition
invites you to look, to understand, and above all, to act. Reflect so as not to destroy. Act so as not
to keep harming the only planet we have.
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