In Praise of Water, Eduardo Chillida

Matter and space are the elements Eduardo Chillida played with in the design of his works. In Praise of Water bears the clear imprint of its creator. The harmony and weight of the work contrast with the great dynamism and expressive strength of this solid sculpture suspended over the water, in Barcelona's Parc de la Creueta del Coll.

A 54-tonne block of reinforced concrete is suspended by steel cables over the lake in Barcelona's Parc de la Creueta del Coll. The piece is solid and was made from a special type of concrete using formwork technology. This allowed the Basque artist, Eduardo Chillida, to explore in greater depth his work on matter: a subject that interested him immensely. The result is a solid, heavy piece of work with a dense, roughly textured surface. The artist plays with space as well as matter in this sculpture. The so-called "architect of the void" suspended the work because he wanted it to engage in a struggle with the law of gravity. The piece is transformed into a block full of dynamism. The top is defined by straight, geometric lines and combines with a lower section full of curves and concave forms in the shape of great claws that seem to want to reach down and touch the water. It is these organic elements that are projected above the open space where the sculpture is located. Indeed, when you are in the open air inside a Barcelona park, this sober, yet visually striking sculpture is moulded by the changing daylight.

In Praise of Water is one of Chillida's masterpieces which, he said, brings us a little closer to the vastness of the cosmos.