I took my sad and worried self up to the
membership preview at the Moma the
other day. I went to see a show that I knew I would love and I was not wrong.
In fact I loved it even more than I could have imagined, after all this was a
show of work by my father and your father. For if not Picasso who then could I
call my pops.
This is a magnificent large and beautifully installed show full of great
sculptures and I use that term lightly, with a grain of art salt, because
growing up I thought of sculpture as something dull and static. The stuff you
would see in parks or on on top of buildings where pigeons paraded and rested.
Of course I changed my mind as I grew up and looked and saw and loved what
sculpture could be. The Moma was my school my class and its where I saw my
first of everything wonderful including Popa Picasso. He's now residing at this
still sometimes great museum and the pulse races and the heart soars on viewing
this great and memorable exhibition.
I mean how much Pablo can we take. It seems like there is a show of his at some
gallery or museum every other month, week and year. There are shows of his
black and white paintings, memorable memorabilia shows, and even when the show
is not only about him, he is it. There is no one else in all the world.
That I love him is besides the point, that I love his art is the point, and in
this magnificent show there is a lot to love. The sculptures go from 1912 to 1964
and include some old favorites but also many new and unseen pieces. In the
early gallery are 6 of his glasses of absinthe each one has its own shelf life,
each one perfection each one a little gem.
This was one of his pieces that inspired and influenced me as a young young
artist and seeing them all here for the first time was brilliant. Also cubist,
here are his important works of instruments guitars and violins made of
shocking (at the time and maybe still) found materials. They move in open
space. Each gallery opens up and invites us in and there is not one bad piece
(to me anyway) in this sprawling exhibition that glows and shines all over the
palce.
One can spend time just thinking about his use of materials that still look
fresh and original like they were made yesterday, how did he come up with that,
or this. Twisting banging and hammering materials to fit his visions. Then
there are the Boisgeloup scuptures these large heads and busts that looked
deformed hurt and not easy to look at. Made of cement and plaster they haunt.
In the next gallery are his lovely and easy to love ceramics I could look at
them all day, and I do wish there were more, he must have made thousands of
these that show off his way with forms and color, well he was one of the great
colorists of the 20th century. But its also around here and in a few of the
other galleries that he gives me trouble with his whimsy and whimsical
sculptures.
I don't care for whimsy cute monkeys made from parts of toys, bulls, goats and
women with baby carriages, this is put a smile on your face work, cheap thrills
and easy to love for those who have trouble loving the better and more
difficult pieces. But you can still marvel at his use of materials and his
vivid and long lasting imagination. Let me stop and just say that this is the
show of the year, maybe the decade and its on until Feb. The crowds will be
rough and large so be prepared to be annoyed but also inspired and thrilled. Ah
Popa.
