Artwork A Thousand Milks (2024), by Spanish artist Asunción Molinos Gordo (b. 1979), questions the notion of genetic and cultural purity through the sheep’s wool, which is nowadays considered agricultural waste. The title A Thousand Milks reverses the negative connotations of crossbreeding sheep as opposed to the “purebred” ideal. Considered superior to that of other breeds, merino wool is the result of millennia of domestication and crossbreeding between African and native Spanish breeds which resulted in increasingly whiter fleeces that became known as “Spanish white gold”. In A Thousand Milks, Molinos Gordo uses wool from every sheep breed in Spain, making a case for genetic diversity, which is key to evolution. The artist also suggests acknowledging sheep as landscapers; by grazing, they alter the appearance of the land and transport seeds and pollen in their fleeces, acting as agents of biodiversity. The work reflects on the importance of diversity, both in culture and in nature.

Asunción Molinos Gordo
A Thousand Milks, 2023
Felt made with wool from all sheep breeds in the Spanish state
Courtesy of the artist and Travesía Cuatro, Madrid