Elogio del Horizonte
Elogio del Horizonte is a large concrete sculpture located in Gijón, Spain, by the sculptor Eduardo Chillida. Erected in 1990, it is considered a landmark in the artist’s career. The work began from a small drawing by Chillida and was developed using a full-scale polystyrene model. Its creation involved a complex concrete formwork process, followed by demolding and a slow, laborious cleaning. Over time, the sea and the years were expected to leave their mark on its final color. Residents of Gijón have also pushed for the sculpture to be recognized as UNESCO World Heritage cultural heritage.
October 1990 © Roberto Sueiras Revuelta. · CC BY-SA 3.0
August 2007 © César Astudillo · CC BY 2.0
© Cornava · CC BY-SA 3.0
© Joy Zamora · CC BY 3.0
January 2025 © Asincronica · CC BY-SA 4.0
Identification | |
| Type | Concrete sculpture |
| Title | Elogio del Horizonte |
Historical context | |
| Year of creation | 1990 |
Creator | |
| Artist | Eduardo Chillida |
| Artist nationality | Basque |
Discovery and provenance | |
| Reason previous sites were not used | The best locations were militarized because of their strategic character |
| Location | Cerro de Santa Catalina, Cimadevilla neighborhood, Gijón, Asturias, Spain, overlooking the Cantabrian Sea |
| Initial model material | Polymeric foam |
| Initial model type | Full-scale model |
| Preparatory models | Several small-scale models in steel and wood were made before the final form |
| Initial model maker | Jesús Aledo |
| Previous site search | Chillida had been looking for an ideal location along the European Atlantic coast |
| Commission formalization | Contracts were made with the model maker, formwork maker, civil works company, and architect |
| Commission accepted | Chillida visited Gijón, saw the site, and accepted the commission |
| Site suggested by | Architect Paco Pol to Mayor Vicente Álvarez Areces |
| Site confirmed | October 1987 |
| Site search ended | 1986 |
| Concept date | 1985 |
Location and ownership | |
| Nearby body of water | Cantabrian Sea |
| Country | Spain |
| City | Gijón |
Materials | |
| Material | Concrete |
Physical characteristics | |
| Scale | Large-scale work |
| Weight | 500 tons |
Technique | |
| Surface treatment | The surface was cleaned with acids after demolding |
| Formwork removal | The formwork was removed after drying |
| Drying time | One week |
| Concrete pouring | Concrete pouring began in autumn 1989 |
| Concrete mixes | More than twenty different concrete mixes were used to perfect the color |
| Technical design | Designed by civil engineer José Antonio Fernández Ordóñez |
| Construction process | A life-size expanded-polystyrene model was built in Hernani, then pine-wood formwork was made from it, transported to Gijón, reassembled on site, and filled with concrete |
| Basis for execution | A small drawing by Chillida |
| Metal framework | A metal armature was installed to support the concrete |
Appearance | |
| Final color | The final color was to be shaped by the action of the sea and time; acid cleaning revealed the original concrete color |
| Formwork material | Pine wood |
| Formwork wood quantity | 14,000 kilograms of numbered planks |
| Formwork purpose | To map the sculpture's complex curves |
Iconography and meaning | |
| Intended meaning | A tribute to the horizon |
| Artist's description of the horizon | “the homeland of every man” |
Significance | |
| Criticism | Criticized for its elevated construction cost and unusual shape |
| Artist statement about payment | Chillida said he received only 5% of the construction cost |
| Construction cost | 1,200 million pesetas |
| Popular nickname | “El váter de King Kong” |
| Career significance | A landmark in Chillida's career |
| Symbolic status | Considered a symbol of Gijón |
History and restoration | |
| Construction completed | 30 October 1989 |
| Inauguration date | 9 June 1990 |
| Inauguration location | Cerro de Santa Catalina |
| Inauguration attendees | Artists, local residents, and authorities, including Mayor Vicente Álvarez Areces and Minister of Labour Luis Martínez Noval |
| Inauguration controversy | Textile workers protested, and a local resident attacked the mayor and deputy mayor |
| Criticism of cost | The construction cost was denounced by sectors of the city as wasteful spending |
| Planned restoration | An €80,000 restoration was planned for 2024 |
| 30th anniversary event | On 9 June 2020, the City Council held a 30th-anniversary event at Cerro de Santa Catalina and inaugurated the exhibition Elogio del horizonte, mirando al futuro |
| 30th anniversary curators | Héctor Blanco and Luis Miguel Piñera |
| 30th anniversary attendees | Mayor Ana González and Luis Chillida |
| 30th anniversary protest | Demonstrators showed support for port workers on a hunger strike |
| Royal visit | On 30 July 2020, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia visited the sculpture's surroundings and the exhibition |