— witsandnuts

Mesmerized in Picasso Exhibit

A tiny glimpse of Emirates Palace

The government of Abu Dhabi hosted the first Picasso Exhibit in whole Middle East. It is running since since May 27. I’m such a fool to have not prioritized going there. Thinking that I still have time. Before I knew it, it’s already closing on September 4. So I had to rearrange my schedule last weekend to check it.


To Picasso Exhibit

I paint the way some people write their autobiography. The paintings, finished or not, are the pages of my journal, and as such they are valid. The future will choose the pages it prefers. It’s not up to me to make the choice. I have the impression that time is speeding on past me more and more rapidly. I’m like a river that rolls on, dragging with it the trees that grow too close to its banks and dead calves one might have thrown into it or any kind of microbes that develop in it. – Pablo Picasso

The exhibit is being held at Gallery One of Emirates Palace. Gee, the place is so grand! I’ll tell more about it in a separate post. There are 183 masterpieces of Pablo Picasso shown at the exhibit, all of which came from Musee’ National Picasso, Paris. The sculptures, paintings, photographs, works on paper came directly from the studios who donated their personal collection.

To be honest, when I came in I really didn’t know if I will appreciate or should I say how to appreciate the things that I will see. I have odd encounters that would say I have an eye for an art, but I don’t trust myself that I’m artistically sophisticated enough to appreciate Picasso’s works.

Three Figures Under A Tree

The exhibit was attended by real artists (I just knew it, I don’t know how to explain but they speak, glare, think like ones. They’re not as basic like me, that’s it. Heehee.) and feeling artists, and plain visitors like me.   Okay, too much insulting of myself. It really helps that there was an audio (earphone) provided to each guest. It tells the story of each of the 183 pieces. Without that I am lost. Without that, I could have just judged the masterpieces excellent, just because it was done by Picasso.

Jacqueline With Crossed Hands

For example, I didn’t know Jacqueline was Pablo Picasso’s wife. Without the audio guide, I could have looked at it the other way – probably something like an Egyptian inspired painting.

Large Still Life With A Pedestal Table

It’s very interesting to know that even his drafts/ scratch works (that’s how I see it) are also shown at the exhibit. As my viewing progressed, I realized that (maybe) even without the audio guide it is impossible for you not to appreciate the genius pieces. The concept, the way everything were put into place, the medium, and the school of thoughts were incorporated and made the distinction for each.

Portrait of Dora Maar

Picasso’s works were displayed according to different themes: war, cubism, surrealism, poetic caligraphy, classism, blue and pink periods, war and committed paintings, etc. There’s one thing that took my interest initially: he did several sketches and paintings of guitar. Would you know why?

Portrait of Marie-Thrse

I remember I had an oil canvass portrait so many years back and it oddly really looked like me. But Picasso is really Picasso. I couldn’t help but compare my portrait. Oh well, of course how can I compare that to an expensive one. Heehee.

The Goat

The Matador

The Pipes of Pan

I wanted to buy some pieces of postcard. But since I came during the last week of the exhibit, The Pipes of Pan copies are the ones left. Ack! What am I gonna do with these men? Otherwise, I would have to tell my family and friends, “Hey, don’t laugh. I got that from Picasso Exhibit”.

The next three photos are among my favorites. The Kiss and Three Nude Ladies at the Beach are my major favorites. But there’s no photo available here. Photo-taking is strictly prohibited as expected. Hence, except for the first two photos which I took myself, the rest were taken from the website of Picasso in Abu Dhabi.

Studies

Portrait of Olga in an Armchair

There were two other sketches of Olga’s portrait displayed in the exhibit. But that one is the most captivating. Don’t you just love to pose like her?

Self Portrait

And of course, this self portrait of Pablo Picasso is the first piece that you’ll see as you enter the exhibit proper. He is such a genius. Blessed hands and mind.  Painting was like blogging in some ways, isn’t it. More than the Picasso as the painter that I know, I like more his famous lines. One of which is, “painting is just another way of keeping a diary”.

This one tells all:

I carry all that along with me and go on. What interests me is the movement of painting, the dramatic effort of moving from one vision to another, even if I haven’t invested all of my efforts. With regard to some of my paintings, I can say that I have truly made that effort, that I have poured my heart and soul into them, because I have managed to capture the perennial nature of the image. I have less and less time, and yet I have more to say. I’ve reached the moment when the movement of my thought interests me more than the thought itself.