With a total of 80 pieces, the Kunsthalle Krems museum is showcasing the first comprehensive monographic museum Eduardo Chillida (1924-2002) exhibition in Austria. Born in San Sebastián, the Basque artist is considered a master of abstract sculpture as well as one of the most important sculptors of the 20th century. Elementary aspects of his sculptural practice include mass and space, fullness and emptiness, light and dark. Chillida translates these opposites into minimalist forms that nevertheless appear handmade and grounded. Increasingly known for his monumental sculptures in public spaces, his fame grew, and his steel sculptures, which weigh several tonnes, are now featured in public squares, landscapes and parks. The exhibition shows sketches, models and photographic documentation of these prominent sculptures, one of which is his project "Peine del Viento".

Chillida's graphic work acts as an important counterpart to his sculptures. These include linear drawings, areal collages, embossed prints or his hanging paper works known as "gravitations". The constellations between sculpture and his work on and with paper form the focus of the exhibition of his work in Krems.

In the 1930s and early 1940s, Chillida was goalkeeper for Real Sociedad San Sebastián before sustaining a leg injury. He subsequently ended his football career and switched from playing sport to making art. He studied architecture from 1943 to 1946 and then fine arts in Madrid. In 1982, Chillida grew in fame due to his drawings for the World Cup in Spain.

The exhibition was brought to life in cooperation with the Chillida family, the Estate of Eduardo Chillida, the Museo Chillida Leku and with the support of Galerie Hauser & Wirth. Alongside several Spanish museums and collections, these are the main lenders of the works on display.