Cristina Iglesias

Internationally acclaimed Spanish installation artist and sculptor, Cristina Iglesias (b. November 1956), presents two major sculptures at the Sainsbury Centre, UEA.

The first work, Celosía XI (Hafsa Bint Al-Hayy) (2006) consists of seven terracotta screens that evoke the lattices in Arab architecture. Iglesias co-opts their traditional geometric patterns by incorporating words into the structure of the screens. Passing through the enclosures is akin to reading passages of text. The title refers to the celebrated Andalusian poet Ḥafṣa bint al-Ḥājj ar-Rakūniyya (1135–1191).

The immersive installation Vegetation Room III (2005) is a defined architectural space. The interior walls are casts of organic vegetation. The combination of natural and architectural elements complements the aims of the Sainsbury Centre Sculpture Park: to bring together art, architecture and the natural environment.

This display reunites the work of Cristina Iglesias and Norman Foster, who have collaborated on a number of projects. Iglesias’ sculpture can be seen in front of the Bloomberg Headquarters, London, which was designed by Norman Foster. She has also created a canopy for the façade of the Norman Foster Foundation in Madrid.

About Cristina Iglesias

Cristina Iglesias draws on poetry, literature and architectural theory to create immersive and experiential environments. Important site-specific public art projects include the doors of the extension to the Prado Museum, Madrid and Deep Fountain at the Leopold de Wael Platz, Antwerp. Her recent solo exhibitions include Centro Botín, Spain (2018), Musée de Grenoble, France (2016), BOZAR, Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels, Belgium (2014) and Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Spain (2013). She was awarded Spain’s National Visual Arts Award in 1999 and London’s Royal Academy Architecture Prize in 2020. Iglesias studied sculpture at the Chelsea College of Art, London and lives and works in Madrid.

Both works are free to view on the West Lawn as part of the Sculpture Park. A trail map is available here.

In collaboration with Marian Goodman Gallery and Cristina Iglesias Studio.