Picasso's Joyful and Dynamic Cubism in Clay
August has arrived, bringing a slight relief from the intense heat of summer. This is the perfect time to escape the city and head to the suburbs with family. I heard about an intriguing exhibition at the Jeonbuk Provincial Museum of Art.
@Jeonbuk Provincial Museum of Art
It's the special exhibition titled 'Picasso Ceramics: Summer in Vallauris'! When we think of Pablo Picasso, we often recall his cubist paintings like 'Guernica' and 'Les Demoiselles d'Avignon', but I was surprised to learn about his work in ceramics. This exhibition features over 90 pieces from the Picasso ceramics collection, part of the 'Lee Kun-hee Collection', which drew me right in.
Exhibition Information:
☑ Location: Jeonbuk Provincial Museum of Art, Exhibition Halls 1-4 (111-6 Moaksan-gil, Guie-myeon, Wanju-gun, Jeonbuk)
☑ Hours: 10 AM - 6 PM (Closed every Monday)
☑ Admission: Free
☑ Parking: Available at the museum (Free)
☑ Docent Tours: 10:30 AM, 11:30 AM, 2 PM, 3 PM
Even if you're not well-versed in Picasso, there's a timeline of his life at the entrance, which made it easier to start the tour with some background knowledge. In summary, Picasso was an artist who expanded his sculptural language across painting, printmaking, and sculpture. This exhibition presents his ceramic works as a fusion and expansion of his painting, printmaking, sculpture, and cubist thought onto a three-dimensional medium.
Exhibition Hall 1: 'Encountering Ceramics, Madura Workshop' - The Beginning of Ceramics
The first hall showcased the environment and works from the Madura workshop in Vallauris, Southern France, where Picasso began his ceramics journey. I had always associated ceramics with neatness and precision, but Picasso's pieces exuded joyfulness. It felt as if each plate was a flat canvas.
While viewing one piece, my family and I joked, 'If we put food on this plate, won't we see faces every time we eat?'
Exhibition Hall 2: 'Touchable Paintings' - The Process of Transitioning from Flat to 3D
If the first hall showcased flat paintings on canvas, the second hall definitely brought out the vibrant three-dimensionality of the works. The texture and thickness of the left piece were incredibly realistic, while the right piece captured the essence of a bird, making it seem as if feathers were attached.
Exhibition Hall 3: 'Hot Summer Festival, Bullfighting' - Repetition and Variation of Icons
Picasso's birthplace is Spain, which evokes images of red and bullfighting. The entrance featured a massive piece that dominated the wall, enhancing the exhibition's intense energy. The third hall highlighted Picasso's dynamic characteristics; he expressed essential traits of subjects like bulls and bullfighters using simple points, lines, and planes. This dynamic representation reminded me of the Korean artist Lee Jung-seob, making it even more fascinating.
Additionally, I learned that Picasso loved attending bullfights and even gifted his artwork to the day's winner during events in Spain. A docent's comment struck me: 'Such energy and dynamism can manifest negatively as violence, but when expressed positively in one's own way, it becomes art.'
Exhibition Hall 4: 'Overlapping Perspectives, Variations of Form' - Cubist Multiviews and Surreal Transformations
This was the hall I found most intriguing. From the fourth hall onward, Picasso's cubism and three-dimensional aspects were clearly evident in his ceramics. Rather than viewing pottery as a simple canvas, it felt like looking at modern 3D modeling. Each piece formed a large object, and as it rotated, the appearance changed from various angles, creating a unique entity. From one side, it might look like a face, but from another, it resembled a bird.
Rest Area:
After the exhibition, I took a moment to relax in a space showcasing how Picasso was introduced and received in Korea, featuring newspaper articles, magazine critiques, and exhibition records. Seeing the artworks up close and reviewing the catalog deepened my appreciation.
Source :https://blog.naver.com/jbgokr/224383146129
No comments yet.
