Nestor Basterretxea facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nestor Basterretxea
Born	Nestor Basterretxea Arzadun (1924-05-06)6 May 1924 Bermeo, Basque Country
Died	12 July 2014(2014-07-12) (aged 90) Hondarribia, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country
Nationality	Spanish
Occupation	Sculptor, Painter, Film producer

Nestor Basterretxea Arzadun (born May 6, 1924 – died July 12, 2014) was a famous artist from the Basque Country in Spain. He was born in a town called Bermeo.

In the 1950s and 1960s, Nestor Basterretxea became a leader in a new art movement. He worked with other important artists like Jorge Oteiza and Eduardo Chillida. Their art explored what it meant to be Basque and often focused on big shapes and empty spaces.

Nestor Basterretxea's Art Career

Early Art Projects and Challenges

In 1952, Nestor Basterretxea was asked to help rebuild a special church called the Franciscan Sanctuary of Arantzazu. He was in charge of painting the crypt, which is an underground room.

However, after about a year, some church officials thought his paintings were too different. They stopped the work. Even though he finished the paintings in 1984, they were not shown to the public until September 2009. This was after Nestor finally agreed with the church.

This project helped start an important art group called Gaur ('today') in the 1960s.

Basque Mythology and Public Art

In 1973, Nestor Basterretxea showed a special collection of his art at the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum. It was called Serie Cosmogonica Vasca (Basque Cosmogonic Series). This collection had 19 wooden artworks that showed ideas from Basque mythology.

In 2008, Nestor gave this entire series of artworks to the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum.

In the 1980s, Nestor Basterretxea worked for the Basque Government for two years. He helped with art and culture in the region. In 1982, he created a sculpture of a seven-branched tree. This tree is now at the head of the Basque Parliament.

Later in the 1980s, he made two of his most famous sculptures. One is called La Paloma de Paz (Peace Dove). It was first placed by the sea in San Sebastian. It was later moved to a roundabout near the Anoeta Stadium in the same city, and then moved back to its original spot.

In 1989, another important sculpture was put up in Reno, Nevada. It is called the Memorial to the Basque Shepherd. As Nestor got older, his art also started to show ideas about peace and problems in his home region.

Filmmaking and Later Life

Nestor Basterretxea also made films. He created short films like Operación H (1963) and Pelotari (1964). He also made Alquézar, retablo de pasión (1965) and several other documentaries.

In 1968, he became very well-known for his full-length documentary called Ama Lur - Tierra Madre ('mother earth'). He directed this film with Fernando Larruquert. The movie faced many challenges because the government at the time tried to stop it from being shown.

However, Ama Lur was finally shown at the San Sebastián International Film Festival. It was very popular with both the public and art critics.

Nestor Basterretxea passed away at his home in Hondarribia on July 12, 2014. He was 90 years old.

Gallery

See also

In Spanish: Néstor Basterretxea para niños