Eduardo Chillida was a Spanish Basque sculptor, born on January 10, 1924, in San Sebastián, Spain. He is renowned for his monumental abstract works that have been displayed across the globe, earning him a place among the most influential sculptors of the 20th century. Chillida's sculptures are characterized by a profound respect for materials, whether in his smaller iron pieces or his later, grandiose works in granite and alabaster. Chillida's early life was marked by a variety of interests and pursuits. Before dedicating himself to art, he was a goalkeeper for Real Sociedad, San Sebastián's La Liga football team. However, a serious knee injury ended his sports career prematurely. Following this, Chillida studied architecture at the University of Madrid from 1943 to 1946, a discipline that would later influence his sculptural work with its emphasis on space and form. Despite the promise of an architectural career, Chillida abandoned his studies in 1947 to focus on art, moving to Paris in 1948 where he began working in plaster and clay. During his time in Paris, Chillida was deeply influenced by the works he saw at the Louvre, particularly the ancient Greek sculptures. His early sculptures were characterized by human forms, torsos, and busts, but he soon transitioned into more abstract realms. In 1950, Chillida returned to Spain, settling in Hernani in the Basque region, where he married Pilar Belzunce and started a family that would grow to include eight children. It was in Hernani that Chillida discovered iron as a material for his creations, resonating with the Basque region's industrial heritage. He set up a forge in his studio and began to work closely with local blacksmiths, learning their techniques. From 1954 until 1966, he worked on a series entitled "Anvil of Dreams," where he used wood as a base for metal forms to rise up in explosive rhythmic curves. This series marked the beginning of Chillida's lifelong exploration of the interplay between space and mass, a theme that would dominate his work. Chillida's sculptures often reflected his Basque heritage, with many titles written in the Basque language, Euskera. His work was not only a product of direct contact with materials through forging metal or carving stone but also a continuation of the long tradition of Spanish metalworkers and stone-carvers. Chillida retained a craftsman's feeling for his materials, which he shaped into elemental forms that satisfied his essentially ascetic vision. Throughout his career, Chillida received numerous accolades, including the sculpture prize at the Venice Biennale in 1958, the Kandinsky Prize in 1960, the Carnegie International Prize in 1964, the Andrew Mellon Prize in 1978, and the Praemium Imperiale prize for sculpture in 1991. His work was exhibited in numerous solo shows across the world, including Madrid, Duisburg, Houston, New York City, Munich, and other cities. Chillida's public works are installed in various cities, including Barcelona, Berlin, Paris, Frankfurt, and Dallas. One of his most celebrated sculptures, "Peine del Viento" (The Comb of the Wind), is installed on rocks rising from the Cantabrian Sea at La Concha bay in San Sebastián. This work exemplifies Chillida's ability to integrate his sculptures with their environment, creating a dialogue between nature and art. In 2000, Chillida opened Chillida Leku, an exhibition space and sculpture park converted from the historic Zabalaga farmhouse in Hernani, near San Sebastián. This museum is dedicated to his work and serves as a testament to his artistic legacy. Eduardo Chillida passed away on August 19, 2002, in his hometown of San Sebastián at the age of 78. His artistic legacy, ideas, and unique vision of the world continue to influence artists and captivate audiences around the world. His sculptures, marked by their relationship with space and material, stand as enduring symbols of the power of abstract art to evoke emotion and provoke thought.

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