An enchanted forest unites art and nature, a unique magical space in which majestic solemn sculptures mingle with beech trees, oaks and magnolias in green, wide-open welcoming fields. Chillida-Leku is a different kind of museum, a work of art in itself, an island of peace and reflection which, in thirteen hectares and a sixteenth-century farmhouse, tells the story of one of our great twentieth-century sculptors.

 

Although the museum offers informative guided tours, people generally tend to explore Chillida-Leku on their own, letting their curiosity and astonishment be their guide as they wind their way through the sculptures and gardens. (…)Nearly fifty large sculptures representing different periods and materials are spread out over a beautiful landscape dedicated to art and nature. The collection is dynamic, owing to the artist’s commitments throughout the world and to the pieces that come and go, forcing some of the large works to take temporary leave, while others help enrich the collection. It is not a closed museum but instead a living changing space. In the opinion of architect Luis Peña Ganchegui, Chillida’s close collaborator in several of the artist’s most emblematic public works, non-figurative art is like returning to nature, and as a result, Chillida’s sculptures take on a more emotional dimension anchored in this forest of trees, wood and iron.

 

This text belongs to the book " A utopia come true " written by Mitxel Ezquiaga.

 

History of the Museum · Zabalaga Farmhouse