Ibercaja Foundation Presents 120 Works by Eduardo Chillida in Zaragoza

Ibercaja Foundation Opens Retrospective Exhibition of Eduardo Chillida with 120 Works by the Basque Sculptor

Ibercaja Foundation inaugurates in Zaragoza the exhibition «Eduardo Chillida. Dreaming the Space,» the largest cultural proposal for the year’s end, featuring 120 pieces by the Basque artist recognized as one of the most significant sculptors of the 20th century. The exhibition will be open at La Lonja until February 1, 2026, marking the conclusion of the commemorative programming for the centenary of Eduardo Chillida’s birth (1924-2002), who passed away in 2002.

The exhibition presents an exhaustive collection of works spanning the artist’s entire career, including small and large-scale sculptures created from various materials, graphic works, drawings, and portraits. The pieces allow visitors to immerse themselves in Chillida’s universe, where space, emptiness, light, shadows, and dialogue with nature are essential elements of his sculptural language.

The small-scale works are made from materials such as plaster, alabaster, wood, wrought iron, reinforced concrete, and chamotte clay, with the renowned Lurrak —compact clay blocks that Chillida barely manipulated— standing out in particular.

The large-scale sculptures, reaching heights of nearly 2 meters, interact with the space and environment. In these pieces, Chillida explored light and space, united with the tensions and voids created by the materials. Notable examples include Iru burni III and Consejo al espacio VI (in corten steel), Harri V and Relieve (in granite), as well as the series Lo profundo es el aire, inspired by a poem by Jorge Guillén, a poet with whom he maintained a friendship.

A fundamental element of the exhibition is Chillida’s graphic work, considered the essential part of his artistic thought. Unlike other creators, these are not preparatory works but have their own uniqueness and autonomy. Among the highlighted examples are Sketch for the Plaza de los Fueros of Vitoria and Cage of Freedom.

The exhibition also includes drawings and geometric engravings made in ink, charcoal, or sanguine; representations of open or intertwined hands; profound and expressive portraits of his family and self-portraits; collages with torn and cut papers; and the series White and Ink Gravitations (created from 1985).

The exhibition has the collaboration of the Zaragoza City Council, the Eduardo Chillida-Pilar Belzunce Foundation, and Chillida Leku. Attendees at the inauguration included Zaragoza’s mayor Natalia Chueca, the president of the Ibercaja Foundation Amado Franco, Luis Chillida (president of the Eduardo Chillida-Pilar Belzunce Foundation), Mikel Chillida (Development Director of Chillida Leku), and curator Alicia Vallina.

Ibercaja Foundation has published a catalog book for the exhibition featuring texts by Mikel Chillida, Alicia Vallina, Javier Chavarría (visual artist and professor at the University of Design, Innovation, and Technology – UDIT), Elvira Guerra, and Lorena Robredo (conservators of State Museums).