SAN DIEGO, CA (April 2025) – The San Diego Museum of Art (SDMA) proudly announces its upcoming major exhibition, Eduardo Chillida: Convergence, a comprehensive celebration of one of the foremost sculptors of postwar Europe. Opening on August 2, 2025, and running through February 8, 2026, this extraordinary exhibition marks the centenary of Eduardo Chillida (1924 – 2002) and highlights his enduring legacy. As the only US venue participating in the global centenary celebration, SDMA is honored to present the most expansive survey of Chillida’s works shown in the US in nearly 50 years.
Eduardo Chillida: Convergence spans the artist’s prolific career and features an exceptional range of materials, including forged iron, oak, alabaster, and clay. The exhibition includes iconic large-scale sculptures, delicate works on paper, and a virtual reality experience that illustrates Chillida’s innovative exploration of earth, sea, wind, and light. Deeply connected to the landscape and traditions of his Basque Country homeland, Chillida’s creations are points of convergence where multiple forces, including nature and culture, material and immaterial, form and void, all meet.
“Eduardo Chillida’s work is a testament to the harmonious relationship between humanity, material, and space,” shares Roxana Velásquez, Maruja Baldwin Executive Director and CEO of SDMA. “We are thrilled to bring this extraordinary exhibition to San Diego, offering our community an opportunity to experience the profound beauty and philosophy embedded in Chillida’s creations.”
“It is an honor to preserve and share Eduardo Chillida’s legacy,” expressed Mikel Chillida, Eduardo Chillida’s grandson and Development Manager at the Chillida Leku Museum. “We are deeply proud to bring an exceptional collection to the United States via The San Diego Museum of Art as part of this centenary celebration. Our wish is to share an experience that truly immerses visitors into the depth of Chillida’s work.”
The exhibition brings together more than 85 pieces in total from the collections of The San Diego Museum of Art, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and the Art Institute of Chicago, among other institutions. In addition, the exhibition has the great support of the Chillida Leku Museum, the Eduardo Chillida – Pilar Belzunce Foundation, the Chillida Estate, and Hauser & Wirth.
An Immersive Journey through Chillida’s World
Highlights of the exhibition include:
- Rare Works Reunited: For the first time since 1966, Chillida’s monumental wood sculptures from the Rough Chant (Abesti gogorra) series held by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and the Art Institute of Chicago, will be displayed together. These towering sculptures, crafted from oak scavenged from the Basque countryside, epitomize the artist’s respect for material and place.
- Site-Specific Legacy: The exhibition includes multiple sculptures and drawings from his Comb of the Wind series, showcasing Chillida’s vision of uniting land, sea, light, and air through art. Additional sculptures on view reveal his discerning use of negative space as a sculptural material, a hallmark of his artistic practice.
- Virtual Reality Experience: Visitors will be transported to Chillida’s Comb of the Wind installation on the rocky coastline of San Sebastián, Spain, through an immersive VR experience. Featuring 360-degree visuals, ambient soundscapes of waves and wind, and a custom-crafted scent developed to capture the salty sea against Corten steel, this multi-sensory experience underscores Chillida’s commitment to engaging all the senses. Due to the logistics and staffing necessary for this component of the special exhibition, there is an additional $7 charge for nonmembers to experience the VR Comb of the Wind. VR entry will be by timed reservation.
An Enduring Connection to San Diego
Chillida’s ties to San Diego offer a distinct perspective on his legacy. In 1986 he participated in a major symposium in San Diego alongside prominent national museum directors and art historians. The 1986 event celebrated the release of an important monograph on the artist and coincided with a presentation of his work at the Tasende Gallery, based in La Jolla. For many years, Jose Tasende, also originally from the Basque Country, represented Chillida and created exhibitions of his work. This collaboration fostered a significant cultural exchange between Chillida and the local, national, and international art worlds.
A Multidisciplinary Celebration
To complement the exhibition, SDMA will host a dynamic program of events:
- Art Party Exhibition Opening: Celebrate the exhibition opening with a vibrant art party celebrating Chillida’s work and legacy as well as his Basque culture and the beauties of Spain on Thursday, July 31, 2025. Art Party is open to the public. Tickets go on sale May 2025.
- Friends’ Lecture: Eduardo Chillida’s grandson, Mikel Chillida, will provide personal insights into the artist’s life and work during a ticketed lecture for both Museum members and the public on Friday, August 1, 2025.
- Catalogue Release: Featuring essays from luminaries across disciplines, the exhibition catalogue explores the intersections of architecture, philosophy, and music in Chillida’s work. Catalogue contributors include Lord Norman Foster, Founder and Executive Chairman of Foster + Partners, a global studio for architecture, urbanism, and design; Mikel Chillida, Eduardo Chillida’s grandson and Development Manager at the Chillida Leku Museum; Gustavo Gimeno, Music Director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Music Director of the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra, and Music Director Designate of Teatro Real, Madrid, where he will assume his role in the 2025/26 season; Ana María Rabe, philosophy professor at the University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain; and exhibition curator Rachel Jans, Ph.D., Associate Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at SDMA.
- Hands-On Inspiration: Following the exhibition opening, the Museum will host hands-on public workshops inspired by Chillida’s works. An educational space will also accompany the exhibition and allow visitors to engage directly with materials used by the artist.
About Eduardo Chillida
Born in 1924 in the Basque region of Spain, Eduardo Chillida is celebrated for his sculptural mastery and philosophical approach to art. From his early forged iron pieces to his later works in wood and alabaster, Chillida’s oeuvre reflects a profound respect for materiality and a relentless curiosity about the relationships between space, light, and human perception. His works are housed in major institutions worldwide, including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
Exhibition Details
- Dates: August 2, 2025 – February 8, 2026
- Location: The San Diego Museum of Art, 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park, San Diego, CA, 92101
- Tickets: Members receive complimentary admission; Museum general admission tickets are required for nonmembers. Due to the logistics and staffing necessary for the virtual reality component of the special exhibition, there is an additional $7 charge for nonmembers to experience the VR Comb of the Wind. VR entry will be by timed reservation.
Eduardo Chillida: Convergence is shared in collaboration with Chillida Leku Museum, the Eduardo Chillida – Pilar Belzunce Foundation, and the Chillida Estate.
Funding for this exhibition is made possible by Anonymous, Lani and Joe Curtis, and Zoraida and Gary Payne. Additional support is provided by the City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture and the members of The San Diego Museum of Art.
For more information on The San Diego Museum of Art and to purchase tickets, visit www.SDMArt.org.
About The San Diego Museum of Art
Providing a rich and diverse cultural experience, The San Diego Museum of Art houses some of the world’s finest art. Located in the heart of Balboa Park, the Museum’s internationally renowned collection of more than 32,000 works—dating from 3000 BC to present day—includes Spanish and Italian old masters, the Edwin Binney 3rd Collection of South Asian paintings, East Asian art, art from the Americas, Modern and Contemporary art, and the Museum of Photographic Arts at The San Diego Museum of Art (MOPA@SDMA). The Museum regularly features major exhibitions of art from around the world, as well as extensive cultural and community engagement programs for all ages. The San Diego Museum of Art hosts experiences that invite visitors to explore art through music, dance, film, food, and so much more. At The San Diego Museum of Art, exhibition text is always in English and Spanish.
The San Diego Museum of Art is located at 1450 El Prado in Balboa Park, San Diego, CA, 92101.
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