After touring several countries in the world, the renowned exhibition ‘Imagine Picasso’ finally landed in Saudi Arabia. Running until March 3rd in Riyadh, visitors can step into this Picasso-themed exhibition to surround themselves with the art of the most famous 20th-century painter, Pablo Picasso.
What’s so special about this exhibition is the collection of paintings gathered from different art museums around the world. Visitors can never see this collection physically at the same place and time except at Imagine Picasso.
The exhibition has a wide collection of the artist’s works, some of which are:
Les Demoiselles d’Avignon
The above artwork belongs to one of Picasso’s most remembered paintings, ‘Les Demoiselles d’Avignon,’ which originally existed on one much smaller canvas. But at the exhibition, it’s broken down into several art pieces. It’s almost as if an extra cubist effect is added to the already abstract and cubist work.
The piece depicts five nude women in a raw and fragmented style; it shocked viewers with its bold portrayal of sexuality and primal energy back when it was first exhibited.
Guernica
‘Guernica’ is a painting that encapsulates the horrors of the Spanish Civil War, depicting the bombing of the Basque town of Guernica in 1937. There, he makes use of stark monochromatic tones and fragmented forms. It’s remembered as a powerful testament to the fragile human spirit.
The Old Guitarist
Dwelling into the depths of the human soul is one of the remarkable Blue Period paintings of Picasso, featuring a blind musician cradling his guitar in a state loaded with an unmistakable melancholy. It’s an ode to inner strength and resilience, transcending the hardships of poverty.
Dove
In a more optimistic tone, Picasso’s ‘Dove’ encapsulates hope and peace. Like Guernica, it engages with the theme of war, but this time, it was WWII that inspired the artist’s brushstrokes. The simple yet powerful depiction of a dove symbolizes harmony and freedom and highlights human longing for tranquility amidst the chaos.
Girl Before a Mirror
Again, Picasso goes deep into the human spirit and the complexities of one’s identity and self-perception. The woman in the painting resembles vulnerability and self-confrontation when meeting her reflection in the mirror, especially since the girl’s reflection differs from her real features; something in the reflection is shifted, contrasted, and distorted, leaving a foreboding and mysterious impact.
While touring the exhibition, you’ll be able to view some of Picasso’s most famous masterpieces, filled with the utmost detail, emotion, and groundbreaking revolution in artistic expression that still stands to this day. You can book your tickets from the official website.
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