The role of architecture in the process of transforming a space into a place is a key condition in the implementation of urban resilience. In this sense, the works of the sculptor Eduardo Chillida are part of a logic of counter-space that opposes a certain idea of public space based on commerce and efficiency. Hollows and curves, the tangible and the intangible question the meaning of fullness and emptiness, allowing the individual to position himself in time and space. Although the sculptor’s dialectic on the apparent opposition between the empty and the full may seem conceptual, it is linked to the question of what makes a space a sense of place. One of Chillida’s most important works, the Comb of the Wind, reminds us that the word habitat only has a meaning when the connection between space, nature and people contribute to social relations and narratives leading to a sense of belonging. In this respect, the notion of fullness and emptiness can be understood as metaphors associating our perception and personal experiences with the understanding of our daily activities, allowing a space to acquire a sense of place.
The series below comprises three triptychs, each showing a photograph of Eduardo Chillida’s work framed by two photographs including a piece of argentic paper that darkens over time, like a metaphorical narrative reminding us of the challenge of urban resilience.
(Shooting places: Hernani, Spain – Le Havre, France – Chicago, USA – San Sebastian, Spain (A3 size x 3))
