Begizko 2012

Curator: "Begizko," a mixed-media sculpture created in 2012 by Patxi Xabier Lezama Perier, definitely holds the gaze, doesn't it? Editor: Yes, it does, in a very unsettling but thought-provoking way. My initial impression is that it feels like being watched by these strange, geometric eyes, as if some unknown sentinels are observing me. I think the cool grays give it an almost mechanical feel. Curator: Absolutely. It’s fascinating to consider the artist’s choices here. The title, "Begizko," translates to "ocular" in Basque, immediately grounding the interpretation in visuality. What strikes me is how Lezama Perier repurposes the gaze, from the personal act of seeing to an objectified surveillance state, almost a manufacturing process of sight. It is more about control and observation. Editor: I agree, though for me it taps into a primal feeling of vulnerability. The rough, almost crude way the eyes are represented set on linear supports give it this uncanny quality. It's like peering into someone's rawest, most exposed feelings, and it provokes curiosity, but a healthy dose of trepidation. I keep wanting to step closer but also stay away. Curator: The contrast in textures is intriguing. The smoothness of the metal structures and the rough appearance of what might be a base of stone. It challenges the hierarchy in art production by presenting it more raw, inelegant form. One can almost trace the decisions involved in construction through these materials, reflecting labor and assembly. The repetition could symbolize a relentless industrial progress with unforeseen consequences, and those materials show that. Editor: Well, those “imperfections”, for me, become whispers of imperfection and soul. The linear and the asymmetrical are not so perfect in terms of manufacture because the human hand can easily be traced; but the idea of seeing oneself through it is more powerful than manufacturing for manufacturing’s sake. They’re like broken machines haunted by the ghosts of lost connections. Curator: Well said! Lezama Perier has truly built something that confronts the very process of seeing itself and also the artist labor that it takes. Editor: Indeed. A memorable piece that stares back at you long after you turn away, forcing one to wonder what has been seen in return.