On Saturday, September 14, Real Sociedad will pay tribute to Eduardo Chillida at the Reale Arena during their LaLiga match against Real Madrid, commemorating the centenary of the artist’s birth. The team will wear a specially designed commemorative jersey showcasing one of Chillida’s artworks. The jersey features a reproduction of one of Chillida’s works on paper, Abiagune II (2001), as well as the centenary logo and the motto “Place of Encounter.”
In a pre-match ceremony, which coincides with the anniversary of Eduardo Chillida’s debut as a goalkeeper for Real Sociedad on September 27, 1942, Luis Chillida, the artist’s son and president of the Eduardo Chillida - Pilar Belzunce Foundation, will perform the honorary kickoff, using a special ball designed for the occasion by the club.
Additionally, before the match, there will be a ball launch into the crowd, and a tribute video will be shown on the screens of the Reale Arena. The video will highlight the important role football played in the development of Chillida’s artistic career. “Football and art are two worlds, seemingly opposites, that converge in the interplay of space, form, and movement,” said Luis Chillida.
Football was one of Eduardo Chillida’s earliest passions. At just 18, he played as a goalkeeper for Real Sociedad during the 1942-1943 season until a knee injury ended his football career. “Throughout my life, I’ve applied lessons I learned from football. It might sound surprising, but many experiences on the field later influenced my approach to sculpture,” Chillida once remarked.
After playing 14 matches in the Second Division, Chillida left football to focus entirely on his art. “The bond between Chillida and Real Sociedad has always been strong, which is why Real Sociedad couldn’t miss the opportunity to be part of this celebration,” said Jokin Aperribay, president of Real Sociedad.
Commemorative Jersey on Sale Starting today
Today, September 11, a limited edition (approximately 2,000 units) of the commemorative jersey honoring Eduardo Chillida will be available for purchase in both physical stores and online. This jersey will be worn during Saturday’s match.
Earlier this year, Real Sociedad also released a commemorative ball and scarf to mark the centenary of Chillida's birth. These items are available for purchase at the team’s physical and online stores, as well as at the Chillida Leku museum shop.
These commemorative actions by the club follow various events held throughout the year, including the latest edition of the Korner Festival, which always blends culture and football. This year, the festival paid particular tribute to Eduardo Chillida with roundtables and conferences reflecting on the intersections between sport and art. The program also featured the exhibition Eduardo Chillida: The Hands That Caught Time and Space at the Ernest Lluch K. E. space, showcasing 19 works—some of them previously unpublished—alongside press clippings, audiovisual material, and texts by the artist and other figures to delve into Chillida's dual identity as a football player and artist.
About Eduardo Chillida
Eduardo Chillida, born in San Sebastián on January 10, 1924, was a pioneering figure in contemporary art. His early years in the Donostia bay area left an indelible mark on him, which was later reflected in his art. After a stint as a goalkeeper for Real Sociedad, he had to retire at 19 due to an injury, but the spatial and temporal skills he developed during this period became integral to his artistic career.
He began studying architecture in 1943 but left to join the Círculo de Bellas Artes in Madrid in 1947. Despite this shift, Chillida always retained the fundamental principles of architecture and referred to himself as an "architect of the void." In 1948, he moved to Paris on a scholarship, where he exhibited figurative sculptures at the Salon de Mai in 1949. He returned to the Basque Country a year later due to a brief artistic crisis but maintained connections with Paris and the Galerie Maeght. In 1951, he married Pilar Belzunce, and their first daughter was born.
Chillida's work reflects his philosophical exploration of space, scale, and architecture, addressing universal values such as tolerance and freedom. He received early accolades including the Graham Foundation Award in Chicago and the Grand International Sculpture Prize at the Venice Biennale in 1958, the Kandinsky Prize in 1960, and the Praemium Imperiale from Japan in 1991, among others. His art has been displayed in over 500 solo exhibitions at renowned venues such as the Guggenheim Museum in New York, the Crystal Palace in Madrid, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Bilbao.
Chillida Leku, inaugurated in September 2000, was established to present his work in harmony with nature, featuring the Zabalaga farmhouse. However, his legacy remains incomplete with his death, as he left behind an unfinished project: a monument to tolerance in Fuerteventura.