Vigo: Sculpture contemporary public (1970-s.XXI)

During the twentieth century sculpture and painting began a process of rupture with the past. Change traditional techniques and misses the importance of commemorative and celebratory function of sculpture. It begins a search for new functions and new symbologies for sculptural expression.

New technologies break into the art world allowing the incorporation of new materials that will unthinkable before the sculptor freedom of artistic expression without constraints of traditional techniques.

Example of this new model is Eduardo Chillida expression in the 60s created sculptures wrought iron, wood volumes large, incorporating his work elements such as cement, granite and marble.

In Spanish sculpture dominated mid-century abstract languages ??based on the idea of ??the way, and this was the image they had of Spain in international art circles.

The two main representatives of the sculpture at that time were the Basque Eduardo Chillida and the Canary Martín Chirino. Both worked the iron and the two were abstract, but, today, with the benefit of hindsight, we can see references to the human body or the organic forms in both artists.

Chillida inclanaba by certain parts of the human body, particularly the hands, while biomorphic forms Chirino preferred.

Only at the end of the seventies begin to emerge in Spain figurative trend respectable. While it is tempting Francisco Leiro mentor within this stream of new figurative expressionism and again, we can not forget that his work always had its own character and different.

It could be considered that this change is rooted in the precedent of surrealism, as that is clearly different from both the historical and modern movement neorracionalista position of minimalism. As processes can sculptural shape the object and the image.