The Oma Forest

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Agustín Ibarrola’s Painted Forest – Where Art Meets Nature

1. Nestled in the heart of the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve near Kortezubi, Bizkaia, the Oma Forest—also known as the Painted Forest or “Bosque Animado”—stands as one of the world’s most beloved examples of land art. Conceived and created by Basque artist Agustín Ibarrola beginning in 1982, this extraordinary open-air museum transforms nearly 800 pine trees into a living, shifting canvas using vibrant colors, geometric patterns, and figural illusions. Ibarrola’s approach breaks from traditional perspective, spreading his compositions across multiple tree trunks so that complete images emerge only from specific viewpoints, encouraging visitors to move, discover, and interact with the art. The result is a magical dialogue between creativity and the landscape, where art and nature coexist in ever-changing harmony.

Bosque Animado

Vivid stripes of yellow, red, green, blue, and white cover tree trunks, transforming nature into a living artwork.

White zigzag and red markings on Oma Forest pines reveal Ibarrola’s creative play with depth and perspective.

Bright red and yellow geometric shapes energize the path through Agustín Ibarrola’s Painted Forest.

Purple spiral stripes encircle tree trunks, adding mystical energy to the Basque landscape.

Bright, multicolored bands enliven the pine trunks, showcasing Ibarrola’s signature style in the Painted Forest.

Zigzag white lines painted on tree trunks create visual pathways through the verdant Oma Forest.

White rings stretch across pine trunks, creating a seamless optical illusion amid the greenery.

Blue and purple motifs add vibrancy to the pines, blending abstraction and nature in the Painted Forest.

Agustín Ibarrola, renowned Basque artist, pauses among his painted trees in the celebrated Oma Forest.

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