Chillida gets own exhibition in Barcelona for first time in 11 years

Barcelona (ACN) - It had been 11 years since any gallery or museum exhibition in Barcelona had been dedicated exclusively to the internationally-renowned Basque artist Eduardo Chillida, but since 20 April the Mayoral Gallery has hosted the Chillida exhibition, 'Awakening' ('Despertar'). Barcelona displays 3 large-scale sculptures of Chillida in the Gothic Quarter and in parks. The exhibition is comprised of a carefully curated selection of sculptures, drawings and prints, as well as supplementary material for his monumental works photographs and the video 'Art and Dreams' ('El arte y los sueños'), which reveals personal concerns of Chillida and his methodology. Among the works are two emblematic sculptures, 'La estela' and one of the pieces from the series 'Trembling Iron' ('Hierros de temblor'). Jordi Mayoral, the Director of the gallery, explained it was a "privilege" to be able to host this exhibition in his gallery. In 2004, the Jordi Barnadas art gallery hosted the last individual exhibition devoted to the artist held in the Catalan capital.

'Awakening' in the Mayoral Gallery consists of 11 works in total: three sculptures, four engravings and four drawings. Jordi Mayoral is aware of the "privilege" it is to expose the Basque artist to the city in an exclusive exhibition.

Mayoral considered it "paradoxical" that an artist like Chillida, who has three emblematic works in Barcelona's public spaces, and who has maintained a good relationship with the city, has gone 11 years without a monographic exposition on display.

Among the works featured in the exhibition, the Director of the gallery highlights 'La estela,' a "very emblematic" sculpture by the artist, part of a series that, as he notes, "changed his artistic evolution." The other important piece is also a sculpture, part of the series of three works entitled, 'Trembling Iron' ('Hierros de temblor'). "The third piece is in the hands of the Chillida family, which shows that it is very important, and it is one that was showed at the Venice Biennale in 1967," Mayoral explained.

The Eduardo Chillida-Pilar Belzunce Foundation helped organize the 'Awakening' exhibition, which inaugurated on 20 April and will close on 27 June.