Eduardo Chillida Juantegui, known in Basque as Eduardo Txillida Juantegi, was a Spanish Basque sculptor born on January 10, 1924, in San Sebastián, Spain, and passed away on August 19, 2002, in the same city. He is celebrated for his monumental abstract works that have garnered international recognition, making him one of the most important sculptors of the 20th century. Chillida's artistic journey is a testament to his innovative spirit, his profound respect for materials, and his exploration of space and form. Chillida's early life was marked by a promising career in sports; he was the goalkeeper for Real Sociedad, San Sebastián's La Liga football team. However, a serious knee injury, which required five surgeries, ended his aspirations in football and led him to pursue architecture. He studied architecture at the University of Madrid from 1943 to 1946 but abandoned this path to dedicate himself to art. In 1947, Chillida moved to Paris, where he set up his first studio and began working in plaster and clay, focusing initially on human forms, mostly torsos and busts. His time in Paris was formative, allowing him to experiment and refine his artistic vision. In 1950, Chillida married Pilar Belzunce, and shortly after, they returned to the Basque Country, settling first in the village of Hernani and later in San Sebastián. It was during this period that Chillida began to work with iron, forging a connection with the material that would define much of his early career. He was deeply influenced by the industrial heritage of the Basque region, as well as by the ancient tradition of Spanish metalworkers and stone-carvers. This influence is evident in his series "Anvil of Dreams," where wood served as a base for explosive metal forms, showcasing his ability to imbue heavy materials with a sense of dynamism and rhythm. Chillida's work evolved over the years to include a variety of materials such as steel, alabaster, wood, and granite. His sculptures, characterized by their abstract forms and the interplay of space and volume, reflect his architectural background and his interest in the natural world. One of his most famous works, "Peine del Viento" (The Comb of the Wind), installed in San Sebastián, exemplifies his ability to integrate art with the landscape, creating a dialogue between the work, the wind, and the sea. Throughout his career, Chillida received numerous awards and honors, including the sculpture prize at the Venice Biennale in 1958, the Kandinsky Prize in 1960, the Carnegie International Prize in 1964, and the Praemium Imperiale in 1991. His works have been exhibited in major museums and public spaces around the world, from the Museum of Modern Art in New York to the UNESCO headquarters in Paris. In the early 1980s, Chillida and his wife purchased a sixteenth-century Basque farmhouse and surrounding land in Hernani, near San Sebastián. This property, known as Chillida Leku, was transformed into an open-air museum and sculpture park, housing the largest collection of his works. Chillida Leku serves as a testament to his artistic legacy, offering visitors a unique opportunity to experience his sculptures in dialogue with nature. Chillida's exploration of space and form, his respect for materials, and his integration of art with the environment have left an indelible mark on the world of sculpture. His work continues to inspire and captivate audiences, embodying a profound understanding of the physical and metaphysical dimensions of space. Eduardo Chillida's legacy is that of a sculptor who sought to capture the essence of the material world and the invisible forces that shape it, making him a pivotal figure in the history of modern art.

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