Balenciaga presented Artean – Eduardo Chillida, a special installation at its Via Montenapoleone flagship, marking the House’s first major art project under Creative Director Pierpaolo Piccioli. Conceived as the beginning of an ongoing series, Artean—a Basque word meaning “between”—set the tone for a dialogue that bridges art, fashion and heritage.
The exhibition brought together seven works by the celebrated Basque sculptor Eduardo Chillida, displayed alongside Balenciaga’s current collections. Some pieces paid direct homage to Cristóbal Balenciaga, reflecting a creative relationship that dates back decades. Both figures, rooted in Basque culture, shared a deep interest in form and space—where volume, structure and absence become central to the work.
Among the highlights were sculptural pieces in iron, including Homenaje a Balenciaga (1990), presented here as a smaller study, alongside Project for Comb of the Wind I (1966) and Lotura XVIII (1991). These works were complemented by Chillida’s works on paper, including a series of Gravitación compositions, where cut paper, ink and thread explored balance, tension and movement.
Rather than isolating the artworks, the installation integrated them into the store environment, allowing them to converse with the garments. This approach reinforced Piccioli’s vision of art as a living presence, one that brings energy, emotion and context into the space.
Developed in collaboration with the Eduardo Chillida Estate and Hauser & Wirth, the project also carried a personal dimension for Piccioli, who has long admired the artist’s work. The opening welcomed Mikel Chillida, the artist’s grandson and director of Chillida-Leku, further grounding the exhibition in its cultural lineage.
