Section in VA Living Magazine describes Picasso exhibition at the VMFA.

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PICASSO
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[ A DV E R T I S I N G S U P P L E M E N T ]

2. PICASSO’S PROTEAN ARTISTRY REVEALED VMFA
P
AT THE
Picasso, Masterpieces from the Musée National Picasso, Paris, prese ed at the Paris museum. e variety of a tistic works
showing at the Virginia Museum of Fine A ts, celeb ates the and supplemental materials provide a glimpse into Picasso’s
life and work of Pablo Picasso (1881−1972), the renowned thought processes, emotions, and ideas—whether they take
painter, sculptor, d a sman, and potter whose innovative shape in two or three dimensions.
techniques and prolific works make him arguably an a tist From an early age, Picasso devoted his life to a t. He first
who redefined a t in the 20th centu . t aveled to Paris in 1900 at age 19 and settled there in 1904.
is exhibition of more than 170 pieces includes work As a crucible for a tistic movements and philosophical
from eve major a tistic period of Pablo Picasso’s prolific thought, Paris introduced Picasso to a rich asso tment of
eight-decade career. D awn from the collection of the Musée a tists, writers, and thinkers who influenced his work.
National Picasso, Paris, the largest and most significant
reposito of Picasso’s work in the world, the exhibition allows TRACING MODERNITY THROUGH PICASSO’S ART
viewers to t ace Picasso’s life and the evolution of modern a t Spanning most of the 20th centu Picasso’s work reflects
in the 20th centu . the changing nature of the times. In a centu known for
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e exhibition of Picasso’s works is fu ther enriched with groundbreaking discoveries in physics, marred by political
film, photos, and audio materials from his personal archive upheaval in Western society, and scarred by four brutal wars,
Picasso’s vigorous and fearless style challenges viewers to
find meaning and their own reality in his work.
Picasso contributed to many a tistic movements and inspired
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others. He frequently shi ed from one style to another,
moving through various forms of expression to match his
In the 1930s, Picasso explored surrealism. Unlike the
protean vision. He was constantly reinventing himself and
consciously analytical approach of cubism’s f agmented
drew inspi ation from ancient a t, African a t, classicism,
objects and figures, surrealism found inspi ation in fantasy
and surrealism.
and the unconscious and the theories of Sigmund Freud.
While Picasso never became a full-fledged surrealist, he
Cubism a New Pa adigm for the Pictorial Plane Around the
neve theless probed the unconscious and sought to create Caption goes here and hereand a caption gtion goes here caption goes here
same time Albe t Einstein was breaking apa t natu al law
new forms of expression through his paintings.
and the order of a Newtonian universe with his theories of
With the darkness of war behind him, Picasso continued to
relativity, Picasso met Georges B aque and the two a tists REFLECTIONS ON MECHANIZATION, AND TOTAL WAR explore new forms of expression through works in bronze,
invented a new visual language that came to be known as
e outbreak of war, first in Spain with the Spanish Civil War copper, and ce amics. He moved to the town of Vallauris in
cubism, in which natu al forms were analyzed and reduced
and later in F ance and Germany with World War II, influenced the South of F ance. In a yard next to his studio, he found
to basic geometric shapes.
Picasso’s work. Living in Paris during World War II and the sc aps of metal and shards of potte and used these “objets
Nazi occupation, he was unable to exhibit any of his a t. trouvés” as inspi ation for his sculpture.
Picasso became aware of African a t at the same time
While his notoriety and fame protected him from persecution
Western European nations were struggling with their colonies in
during the occupation, his canvases become darker and Between 1947−48, he produced thousands of ce amic pots,
African and Asia. Inspired by a visit to the ethnog aphic museum
more monochromatic. e symbols in his painting convey vases, and plates. Using these pieces as a canvas, Picasso
at Palais du Trocadéro in 1907, Picasso revised his revolutiona
ma tyrdom, violence, death, and sometimes hope. frequently fused two and three dimensions by exploiting
painting Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, so that the faces of the
the cu es of a vase to suggest a female form in his own
Caption goes here and hereand a caption gtion goes here caption goes here women closely resemble those of African tribal masks.
Mid-centu and Beyond: Explo ation and Innovation individual style.
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“I paint the way some people write their
autobiog aphy. e paintings, finished or not, are the
pages from my dia , and as such they are valid.
e future will choose the pages it prefers.”
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Olga in an Armchair (1917) - In this po t ait, Picasso’s first wife,
the Russian prima ballerina, Ol a Khoklova, sits languidly
staring directly at the viewer. is more realistic po t ait
marks the beginning of Picasso’s depa ture from cubism and
a return to a more conventional, classical style. Later, when
his personal life and marriage to Ol a soured, his depiction of
the female form becomes violently f actured and disto ted.
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Portrait of Dora Maar (1937) - Vib ant colors and strong lines
cha acterize this famous po t ait of Picasso’s mistress, the
surrealist photog apher, and a tist Do a Maar. She influenced
a new energetic visual style of bright colors and sharp angles.
In this po t ait, her eyes face both inward and outward
exhibiting the duality of self.
Jacqueline with Crossed Hands (1954) – In this po t ait Picasso
t ansforms the petite Jacqueline Rocque, his last wife, into a
statuesque goddess who takes on the architectu al quality of
her surroundings. He applies a faceted cubist approach to her
crouching body, which is compressed into a compact shape
as though made from folded paper.
PICASSO’S WOMEN: MODELS, MUSES, WIVES, AND MISTRESSES e final years of Picasso’s life showed remarkable creativity
In the exhibition, viewers can t ace the vicissitudes of and expression, as he continued to work prodigiously
Picasso’s tumultuous personal life juxtaposed with the larger painting and experimenting in sculpture, ce amics, and new
social issues of his times. As an a tist he painted the female media. At first seen as the incoherent amblings of an aging
form more o en than any other modern a tist. Scholars, man, the works have are now recognized as innovative and
a tists, historians, and critics have theorized for decades creative works by a master who pushed the boundaries of a t
about his attitudes toward and depiction of women. Picasso into new forms of self-expression.
wore his hea t on his sleeve; frequently hea tthrobs and
hea tbreaks alike took shape on canvas. As an a tist, Picasso defined his life’s centu as he captured
its struggles, successes, sensuality, and constant change. If
Many of the works in Picasso: Masterpieces from the Musée 20th-centu a t had a b and, it would be Picasso.
Picasso, Paris display his passion and pathos for women,
whether they are the Blue Period prostitutes, disto ted cubist
nudes, bold surrealist po t aits, or sensuous sketches.
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rough this exhibition, visitors will have the oppo tunity Tickets: $20 (VMFA members free). Seniors,
to experience Picasso’s a tist and decide for themselves students with ID, adults groups of 10 or more
how this multi-talented individual expressed his feelings of and youth ages 7−17, 416. Children 6 and
under free. Timed tickets are available in
love, loss, or longing. Po t aits of Picasso’s women_famous
30-minute intervals. For more information
and infamous, known and unknown_mark many of this about special including tours, films, lectures
exhibition’s highlights. and more go to www.VMFA.museum, or call
the museum at 804.340.1400
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OPENING SOON
CIVIL WAR REDUX: Pinhole XU BING: Tobacco Project, Sep
Photos of Reenactments 10–Nov 27 – This exhibition
May 21–Sep 18 explores fundamental issues of
human culture and tobacco as a
SCRAPS: British Sporting medium of social exchange.
Drawings from the Paul Mellon
Collection MUMMY: Secrets of the Tomb,
Jun 18–Sep 18 Nov 19–Mar 11 - Comprised
of more than 100 artifacts, this
FABERGÉ REVEALED, Jul 9– exhibition draws from the world-
Oct 2 – In conjunction with famous Egyptian collections of
the redesign of the Fabergé the British Museum in London.
galleries, this major exhibition
includes VMFA’s entire ELVIS AT 21, Dec 23–Mar 18
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collection as well as loans from
other collections
PURCHASE A YOUR OWN MASTERPIECE enjoy the benefits of the Virginia Museum of
From a reproduction of Picasso’s Maquette Fine A ts. Membership benefits include free
admission to ticketed exhibitions, discounts, TAKE A BREAK AND BE AMUSED
for Richard J. Daley Center Monument to a
photog aphy book that features Picasso’s previews, t avel oppo tunities, educational Amuse Restaurant is a lively,
family and his dachshund, Lump, the buyers prog ams, and more. contempo a fine dining restau ant
for the VMFA Shop have athered a wide located on Galle Level 3 of the new
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ange of items inspired by Picasso’s work Members also enjoy the knowledge, that by McGlothlin Wing, offering seating on a
and words. ese items included vintage becoming members they suppo t the mission beautiful covered ter ace overlooking
Picasso exhibition posters and lithog aphs, of enriching lives and stren thening the the Robins Sculpture Garden and
the signature blue-and-white striped wool Commonwealth. VMFA campus. An innovative lunch
seaman shi ts that Picasso wore and a full- menu featuring regionally sourced
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color, 272-page exhibition catalogue. (Gene al Memberships are fully tax- Virginia produce is se ed from 11:30
IFE deductible) a.m. until 2:30 p.m., daily, tapas from
e shop boasts 3,500 square feet of floor Student $10* 2:30 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. daily, and
space based on pieces from the museum’s Individual $50** dinner se ice from 5:00 until 8:30
A JOURNEY THROUGH THE ANCIENT KINGDOM OF IFE p.m. on ursday and Friday evenings.
collections. It features Fabergé items and ** $40 for seniors, teachers and out-of-state
e landmark exhibition Dynasty and e exhibition focuses on works from the 10th VMFA-exclusive pieces created by Virginia residents Enjoy cocktails and small plates in the
comfo table lounge area, daily from
Divinity: Ife Art in Ancient Nigeria continues through 15th centuries, when Ife flourished as a jewel a tisans.
Dual $65 11:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., and until 9
in VMFA’s Evans Cou t through May 22. ese cultu al center. Works from other pa ts of Nigeria
Family $75 p.m. on ursday and Friday nights.
ext aordina works created by a tists from Ife include those from Igbo-Ukwu from as early as Membership
Reciprocal $125
and other pa ts of Nigeria in the ninth through the ninth centu , from Benin—which surpassed Be more than a visitor. Become a member and
19th centuries are, according to the New York Ife as a center from metal casting in the 16th
Times “as gorgeous as sculpture gets, anytime, centu —as well as 18th- and 19th-centu stone
anywhere.” and copper works from the Yoruba people, who
inhabit Nigeria.
A tists of the Kingdom of Ife (in what is today
southwestern Nigeria), created sculptures Visitors to the exhibition journey through the
that were among the most beautiful and ancient kingdom of Ife and the surrounding cities
sophisticated works of a t being produced of western Nigeria, guided through six different
anywhere in the world at the time. e a ts of sections that explore Wealth & Trade, Sacred
Caption goes here and hereand a caption Ife are notewo thy for their visual power, iconic Works in Stone, Finding Ife: A Century of Discovery,
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complexity and variability of form. Dynasty & Divinity, Terracotta Images of Ife Society,
and Ife & Beyond.
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