Born in Aretxabaleta, Gipuzkoa in 1948, Kepa Akixo, known as Zigor, has, through his ever evolving exploration of form and material, become widely considered one of the most significant contemporary Basque sculptors. His pieces encompass a tremendous range in size, from the small-scale to massive outdoor sculptures; are frequently executed in wood, bronze, and most recently steel; and are often born from watercolor sketches rendered in brou de noix, a pigment made from the shells of walnuts.
Zigor’s creations have been shown throughout Europe in noted institutions including The Villa Beatrix Enea in Anglet (near Biarritz), as well as in Paris, France, and Bilbao, Spain. They can be found in the permanent collections of museums in Bayonne, Biarritz, and Bordeaux in France and in San Sebastián, Spain.
Please enjoy the video below, in which the artist discusses his methods, work, and current show (running at Le Bellevue in Biarritz through the 29th of August).
Video by Amaya d'Elissagaray et Olivier Péant © Ville de B.
Photo by Jean-Francois Jaussaud.