¿Y TÚ? TA ZU? Workshop at IED Kunsthal

A temporary urban graphic intervention transforms the water tank of the Papelera Building into a monumental artwork that poses a question to the city.

The project, developed by the students of the Official Degree in Graphic Design at IED Kunsthal Bilbao, in collaboration with the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and Estudios Durero, stems from a dialogue with the work of Barbara Kruger and translates a direct question to the public into the urban space: What is your role in the complexity of the present? Standing 10 meters high and 25 meters in diameter, the piece transforms one of Zorrozaurre’s most distinctive architectural elements, activating new ways for art, design, and the city to converge.
Focused on message, typography and letterforms, the workshop invited participants to experiment with scale, contrast and spatial impact.

1. Location
The intervention transformed the water tank of the Papelera Building – one of the most unique architectural elements of the IED Kunsthal Bilbao campus – into a monumental graphic display. The piece arises from a direct dialogue with the exhibition dedicated to Kruger at the Guggenheim Bilbao, expanding its presence beyond the museum and activating new forms of encounter between art, design, and the city.

2. Methodology

— The 12-hour intensive workshop began with a presentation outlining the co-creation process that participants would follow, culminating in the development of a shared statement, related to:

HOW CREATIVITY INFLUENCES AND IMPROVES YOUR LIFE.

WHAT IS YOUR DREAM CITY LIKE?

HOW DO YOU THINK YOUR GENERATION WILL HELP TRANSFORM THE WORLD WE LIVE IN

— The second phase focused on sketching typographic proposals, exploring structure, hierarchy and expressive potential.

— This was followed by research into colour, scale and the added geometric elements, considering how the message would be seen from the distance.

— The process concluded with final refinements guided by Laura and the preparation of the artworks at IED Kunsthal Bilbao.

3. Execution
Estudios Durero, a creative industry specializing in graphic communication and a leader in large-format digital printing, collaborated in bringing the final piece to life, contributing its experience in large-scale artistic projects and its commitment to sustainable innovation in processes and materials. For this occasion, in fact, they used an innovative material, Pureti Print, a transparent coating applied over the printed surface whose impact is equivalent to the purifying power of trees.

Goals
– To create a typographic mural.
– Define a unique and collective message.
– Define the typographic style appropriate to the message, available space and technique.
– The final result arises from the process and the balance between concept, creativity, time and technique.

Premises or conditioning factors
– Tank Size: 1o meters hight x 25 m Ø
– Canvas Size: 12 m x 7,6 m
– Visible area (frontal) 6,3 m x 6 m
– Collective message reduced to a maximum of 3 words
– 17 students who will share tasks
– Time: 12 for conceptualisation and artwork.

After two days of work, the result was:

Word
¿Y TÚ? TA ZU? (and you in Spanish and Euskera)
It resumes the idea of What do you do to get involved?

Typographic style
– Uppercase or tall letters for optimal legibility.
– “Sans Serif”style to let the verbal message take centre stage.
– Drawn ad hoc in ultra-condensed proportion adapted to occupy the frontal space.
– Colourful composition, to gain impact in space.
– Reinforcement of the meaning by using emphasazing graphic elements around that covered the less visible part of the tank.