Jorge Oteiza’s ‘de-occupation’: towards an ascetic space in Spanish modern architecture (1948–60)

Lucía C Pérez-Moreno,Emma López-Bahut

doi:10.1017/s1359135521000038

Abstract

The work and thought of the Basque sculptor Jorge Oteiza (b. Orio, 1908 – d. San Sebastian, 2003) is an omnipresent reference point in the historiography of modern Spanish architecture. Since the Jorge Oteiza Museum Foundation was opened shortly after his death, a great number of studies have been published about him, mainly in Spanish and Basque. Oteiza’s artistic career was closely connected to the postwar Spanish architectural scene. During the 1950s, he participated in numerous projects and architecture competitions and published his work in specialised journals and magazines in the field. Spain was at that time under the regime of General Franco and, as a consequence of the Civil War (1936–9), the country was suffering an economic crisis that affected culture, art, and architecture.

Highlights

From 1957, in his theoretical and artistic work, Oteiza proposed the concept of ‘desocupación’ – a complex concept that we translate here as ‘de-occupation’ – as a way of approaching any work of art, whether a sculpture or a work of architecture
This article firstly presents how the work of Oteiza was understood in the Spanish architecture culture scenario
The fact that this book was edited by an architect and published by an architectural publishing house is a clear demonstration of the great interest that his work and thinking aroused in Spanish architects

Summary

Introduction

From 1957, in his theoretical and artistic work, Oteiza proposed the concept of ‘desocupación’ – a complex concept that we translate here as ‘de-occupation’ – as a way of approaching any work of art, whether a sculpture or a work of architecture.

Results

Conclusion