Eduardo Chillida: Life and Philosophy is the first temporary exhibition to be held in the Chillida – Leku Museum since its inauguration. This exhibition was conceived for the occasion of the V International Ontology Congress: Genetic Homology and Human Singularity: State of Affairs, which is being held in San Sebastián under the auspices of UNESCO.
The exhibition (which holds even greater significance following the artist’s death) was inaugurated on 2 October 2002 on the occasion of the opening ceremony of the V International Ontology Congress in the Chillida-Leku Museum. This fifth edition of the congress represents a homage to the memory of Eduardo Chillida, who was regarded as a true champion of philosophy.
The exhibition Eduardo Chillida: Life and Philosophy contains works by the artist that relate to the fundamental concerns of the congress: on the one hand, philosophic aspirations and on the other, fascination for the living. These works are on display in Room 4 of the Museum which is dedicated to the “Gravitations” so representative and characteristic of the sculptor. Apart from having directly influenced contemporary philosophers (Heidegger, Ciorán and Bachelard), Eduardo Chillida was deeply involved in the dilemmas that have confronted philosophical endeavours from the Greek scholars through to Einstein. Hence his illustrations of the Poem of Parmenides and his constant obsession with the structure of space and, more specifically, the problems arising from what he regarded as its essential curvature.
Eduardo Chillida: Life and Philosophy further enhances the exhibition “Chillida and Philosophy” that took place in Madrid in 2000 on the occasion of the IV International Ontology Congress. On this particular occasion, the exhibition is rounded off by the artist’s incredulity at life (old sketches on plants and sketches and portraits from his life).
Room 4 of the Museum houses other such diverse works as books, sketches, etchings, sculptures and gravitations, with Philosophy and Life as a constant connecting theme.
Illustrated books:
• Die Kunst Und der Raum (Art and Space) by Heidegger, featuring litho-collages by Eduardo Chillida.
• Ce Maudit Moi by Ciorán. 1983. A book combining Eduardo Chillida’s etchings and Ciorán’s texts, presented jointly in 1983 in St. Gallen, Switzerland. It consists of three woodcuts punctuated by text, four etchings and one dry-point which are like commentaries on the woodcuts.
• The Poem of Parmenides. Limited edition of 100 copies of six embossed pages.
Sculptures
Sculptures from the Locmariaquer series representing Homages to René Thom (philosopher and Fields’ medal-winner in mathematics, the founder of the so-called Theory of Catastrophes).
Posters and gravitations:
Posters and original gravitations of the posters that served as publicity for the five Ontology congresses held up to the present day.
Figurative drawings of plants and animals:
Twenty drawings from the artist’s early period (Forties and early Fifties) almost unknown up to now, which are included in this exhibition due to their relationship with life and biology. The exhibition will also contain drawings of his children and other members of the family in their youth.
The works in Room 4 that belong to the permanent exhibition (Lurras and Gravitations) will be removed during this period.
