The Basque Government has requested, as it did in 1997 and 2007, the loan of Guernica for a major exhibition at the Guggenheim Bilbao in 2027. The aim is to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the bombing of the Basque municipality, uniting historical memory and art. However, the Ministry of Culture has rejected the request, based on the opinion of the Reina Sofía conservators and other experts, who strongly advise against the transfer due to potential damage to the work.

The discussion took a new turn following statements by a regional president, who described the desire to have local art as "unsophisticated," arguing that "culture is universal." These words have been interpreted as an argument to demand that symbolic artworks like Guernica can be exhibited in other territories, provided their conservation status allows it.

The debate extends to other cases, such as Valencia with the Centenar de la Ploma, which aspires to return from the Victoria&Albert in London, or Elche with its Dama, located in the Archaeological Museum of Madrid (MAN). The question is whether these territories are "less universal" for wishing that the art defining their history can also be seen within their borders.

The stance that art is universal, according to some, may conceal an arrogance on the part of power centers, which reserve the decision of who is worthy of art. At a time when geographies far from the main power centers seek social cohesion through their symbols, a direct relationship with major artistic icons becomes crucial to visualize their historical weight and maintain a distinct character in the face of homogenization.

The history of art management is alive and a product of diplomacy and negotiation. When Valencia tried to recover the Centenar de la Ploma, it managed to have the predella of the work arrive at the Museum of Fine Arts in 2020 for restoration, before returning to London. These types of movements demonstrate that culture is a field of constant tension and negotiation.