JUAN LUIS MORAZA
Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, 1960
Received the Fundación Botín Art Grant in 2012

 Anormatividad (Modelo Social 4), 2013
Moulded methacrylate objects on mirrored base
40 × 100 × 100 cm
Gift of the artist, 2014

Juan Luis Moraza is a key figure of the "new Basque sculpture" movement that emerged in the 1980s. His deep engagement with theory led him to question the protocols of art and the conditions of its presentation and reception. As a result, his work approaches the exhibition space not only in terms of its architectural features, but also as a socio-historical context that shapes how we understand the artworks on display. The museum plays a specific role within the social structure, and its status influences how visitors perceive what they see.

This piece forms part of a series in which Moraza distorts measuring tools, stripping them of their utilitarian function. By moving away from conventional display formats, he places the objects on a mirrored base, very close to the ground, forcing the viewer to look downwards. The mirror reflects the surrounding space, reinforcing the dialogue between sculpture and architecture—two realms that, in this work, nearly merge.