ABOUT THE WORK

At the beginning of his career, Eduardo Chillida experimented with clay but found it uninspiring due to its smooth and soft nature. Instead, he turned to iron, a material deeply rooted in his Basque heritage, and became one of the most successful sculptors of the 20th century with his large iron sculptures. It wasn’t until the 1970s that Chillida, already an established artist, discovered fireproof clay at the Fondation Maeght studio in southern France. This material reignited his interest in clay.

Chillida was fascinated by the clay's ability to withstand and resist the primal element of fire. This fascination led him to probe into the material's nature by "questioning the block," as he described it. His work became a scientific investigation into the relationship between material, space, and time. Octavio Paz noted that Chillida's enquiry "evokes a sort of qualitative physics recalling that of the pre-Socratic philosophers" (E. Chillida, quoted in Eduardo Chillida, exh. cat., Venice Biennale, Venice, 1990, p. 15). The solidity and mystery of the clay block forms are fundamental to all of Chillida’s work in this medium. 

Collaborating with German ceramist Hans Spinner, Chillida created his first clay sculptures. Over time, he produced more than 500 clay works, mainly divided into two groups: the Lurras and the Oxidos. The Oxidos, which include the work shown here, are notable for their black copper oxide painting. Their forms range from abstract constructions to suggested spaces, showing a close connection to Chillida’s works on paper and prints. The contrast between light and dark, and the interplay of apparent emptiness and overabundance, give the Oxidos their unique charm. Each piece is distinct, reflecting Chillida's approach to the ever-changing yet constant nature of reality.

Featured in Catalogue Raisonné of Sculpture,” Editorial Nerea, 2019, San Sebastian, Spain. Catalogue number 1983033, reproduced in color page 68.