Picasso art exhibition War and Emotion takes place in Shanghai Exhibition Center

When it comes to Picasso, no one can deny that he is one of the most influential artists in the 20th century. Throughout his entire life, Picasso frequently changed his style of art, which was unpredictable and unique. This change is reflected in every one of his works since his childhood sketchings in the soil to the last artwork of his life. Even today, many modern artists still study and appreciate the connotation and meaning behind his creative artwork.

The Picasso Art Exhibition, centering around the theme of War and Emotion, is being held at the Shanghai Exhibition Center from March 16 to April. Undoubtedly, the highlight of this exhibition is definitely Picasso’s masterpiece: Guernica.

The painting Guernica was created to disclose the cruelty of mass murder of innocent people followed by the Nazis’ bombing of Guernica, a major town in northern Spain. Using complicated, abstract shapes and lines combined with simple black, white and grey colors, Picasso produced a depressing and tragic atmosphere, depicting the inhumane disaster brought about by the Nazis. In this piece, despite the majority of the geometric figures being composed of lines, the viewer can still emotionally connect to the author, sympathizing with the hostility of war. Interestingly enough, Picasso painted Guernica in color first before deciding to cover it with black and white. At this exhibition, the work was restored to its original color form.

Although the original Guernica is not included in this exhibition, the showcased replica effectively illustrated the specific elements of the original through the form of “jigsaw puzzle.” The so-called “jigsaw” form of art focuses on the small elements in Picasso’s original works, such as cattle, pigeons, farmers, and so on. Each small element is attached with a brief analysis. Through this form of display, Picasso’s art creating process is revealed to the viewer, helping them gain a deeper interpretation of each individual element.

This exhibition showcases a total of 81 representative pieces of artwork of Picasso. In addition to the display of Guernica, the exhibition also includes a cinema area, where visitors can watch a film about Picasso’s career. The exhibition also provides a parent-child interactive area.

Featured Image – Picasso’s “Guernica” Photo Courtesy of Caravandaily website

by Jaclyn Li