In Chillida’s practice, his graphic output and his sculptures are closely bound. In the late fifties, the artist began to research and experiment with engraving techniques. Just like in his sculpture, in his works on paper Chillida played with opposing concepts, like light and shadow, form and content, line and plane.

In his formal research into graphic techniques Chillida went through several phases. In the eighties, the circle—albeit not always a closed or perfect circle—was of special interest to him, though in some works he also lent the main role to an intensely black line. However, in pieces made before the eighties we already find this kind of circular forms, like in Aundi II, also in the BBVA Collection.

Basque culture is of the utmost importance in Chillida’s oeuvre. As he himself once stated: “I have my roots here, I create my work here, and it does not belong to me. I feel it with a desire for it to become a more universal culture by the day, but from our roots”. Indeed, his Basque roots are equally visible in the titles of his works, most of them in Basque. The title of this piece, Bikaina, could be translated as Extraordinary, a word that defines to perfection the work of an artist characterised by carefully devised forms and elegant sobriety.