Iñigo Manterola
ARTIST
A stunning stroke of yellow of huge dimensions atop the immaculate glossy black of a stylish bus belonging to the company Iparbus Luxury Class surprised visitors who attended the inauguration of Iñigo Manterola’s new studio last year.the vehicle’s customization could not be without the unmistakable signature feature of the artist, who loves cooperating with different companies: he recently worked on a project to transform a mobile wall designed by architects for a house, and his sculptures have been present for two consecutive years on all the tables of the Hélène Darroze pop-up restaurant at the María Cristina hotel, as well as in her Paris restaurant.
After admiring the vehicle, which will take Manterola’s art around the roadways of all of Europe, the guests were surprised by the grandeur of Iñigo’s new studio, designed by Zebra Lab. This space, located in Zarautz, takes up an entire building divided into two floors. The bottom floor is primarily for exhibiting large-scale pieces.the workshop area where the sculptures are created is separated by folding screens. A curved wall, which inevitably reminds us of the characteristic organic strokes that have made this artist popular, gives way to a meeting room with an office and a storage room. An impressive spiral staircase made in weathering steel –the artist’s material of choice– leads to the upper floor, bathed in sunlight, where the painting studio is located.
The reason for this new space’s existence is the growing demand for large-scale sculptures, especially from abroad, which has forced the artist to build a new workshop where he can create, store, and showcase his work. Nevertheless, there are also small-scale and medium-scale pieces on display in the gallery that Iñigo has in the center of San Sebastián – a place that acts as the perfect showcase to introduce those who are less familiar with the art world to his work.
Thanks to collectors from around the world acquiring his pieces, as well as the exhibitions that he is invited to participate in, Manterola’s work has made it as far as the United States, Mexico, United Arab Emirates, Germany, France, United Kingdom, and Japan – making the artist one of the best ambassadors of the Basque Country on the global level. His relentless brush strokes recount a real and honest story, one that is open to anyone who decides to face his art and admire the uniqueness of its beauty.