In a powerful blend of art and activism, Colombian musician César López delivered a poignant concert deep within the Andean wilderness of Chingaza National Park. Eschewing traditional venues, López performed not for a human audience, but for the untouched natural world — an intimate tribute to the environment and a symbolic call for peace.
The performance took place amid the misty peaks and lush biodiversity of Chingaza, a protected reserve near Bogotá. The park, vital for its role in providing fresh water to millions and housing endangered species such as spectacled bears, deer, tapirs, and countless birds, served as both stage and spectator.
Renowned for his transformation of instruments of war into tools of harmony, López famously created the “escopetarra” — a guitar crafted from a decommissioned rifle. His music has long been a voice for peace in Colombia, a nation working to heal from decades of internal conflict. In Chingaza, his performance extended that message to environmental stewardship, urging a deeper connection with and protection of Colombia’s natural heritage.
The unconventional concert, free from applause or fanfare, emphasized a profound respect for the land and its silent inhabitants. López’s gesture highlighted the vulnerability of natural spaces threatened by deforestation, climate change, and human encroachment, asserting that music can transcend human boundaries and serve as a medium for ecological consciousness.
The event was captured by journalist Michelle Begue, who described the performance as both haunting and moving — a reminder that some of the most meaningful expressions of art occur beyond the spotlight, in communion with the Earth itself.
