Picasso’s Guernica tapestry returns to the United Nations

Picasso’s iconic Guernica tapestry has been cared for by conservators and rehung outside the United Nations Security Council Chamber, it was announced by Nelson A. Rockefeller, Jr., whose family has been the longtime steward of the tapestry.

“I am delighted and deeply grateful, along with my family, for the careful stewardship the Secretary-General and the broader United Nations team has provided for the Guernica tapestry. The Guernica tapestry with its probing symbolism – its depiction of horrific aspects of human nature - wrestles with the cruelty, darkness, and also a seed of hope within humanity,” said Mr. Rockefeller.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated in a December 15, 2021, letter to Mr. Rockefeller: “The Guernica tapestry speaks to the world about the urgent need to advance international peace and security. we draw inspiration from its message.”

Dead soldiers, screaming children, and women are scenes etched in the memories of millions of people, including Iranians who have experienced the atrocities of war. They are elements used by Picasso in his well-known Guernica, the painting that best captures the chaos, horror, and violence that war brings. Guernica´s tapestry, now lying at the heart of the United Nations, serves us as a reminder of the importance of peace and security.