Oteiza, Chillida & the Basque Sculpture Tradition

The two great Basque sculptors of the 20th century — Jorge de Oteiza (1908-2003) and Eduardo Chillida (1924-2002) — are together the most important contribution of the Basque Country to the international art world: Oteiza's abstract 'empty forms' (the sculptures that explore the void and the emptiness as the primary sculptural element) and Chillida's monumental iron, steel, and granite works (including the iconic 'Peine del Viento' ('Comb of the Wind') on the San Sebastián waterfront) are among the defining sculptures of 20th-century European art.