Blog Archives
Art History Radio-”Paul Cezanne” by 5 Chinese Brothers
Found many songs that involved art history.
While I am suspicious of the lyrics’ claim of Cezanne as the “father of Cubism”, I do enjoy the song’s happy Country sound. I especially love the line “now his oeuvre’s in the Louvre”. Very cute.
However, it baffles me that someone, somewhere said that Giorgio de Chirico founded Cubism. Didn’t Chirico come later after Picasso made his mark? Same goes for the Amedeo Modigliani reference.
Not surprisingly, I see Georges Braque did not receive a mention in the song. Not surprised.
Paul McCartney and Wings “Picasso’s Last Words (Drink to Me)”
Found many songs that involved art history.
A nice little send off that combines both bouncy and somber executions and I think they added Picasso’s voice too. I love the orchestra that shows up later in the song.
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Picasso and the Masters podcast
From 2009 and made in Paris, France in the Gallerie National, Louvre, Dorsay, and the Musee Nacional Picasso. The show itself came from a “Cultural Initiative” that helped put it together. While learning about his paintings, the listener receives a profile on him and his reputation as a rebel. At the same time, as we go from his student days to the 1960s, we learn about his influences. This acoustiguide revolves around how much of a wunderkind the man was during his lifetime, especially the dark moments. On that, you will learn what inspired Picasso’s Blue Period and he had a fear of blindness. The presence of war and people dying acted as a somber subtext of Picasso’s life and work. The series also showed how the man constantly changed as he grew older. In other words, his art represented more than co-founding Cubism.
According to the podcast, Cezanne, El Greco, and Velasquez figured heavily as Picasso’s influences. This acoustiguide shows a man wrestling and celebrating his influences. However, given how they show the influence seen in his painting, wouldn’t that make Picasso a Post-Modernist? I’m not the first one to ponder this. I read a bit of The Myth and Originality of the Avant Garde and the author Rosalind Krauss pointed the Post Modern feel of Picasso’s work. The reputation of Modernism feels so tenuous at times when one learns more about the lives of these people who influenced this era.
The longest one goes over two minutes. As usual, no reproductions found in the downloads section. On any musical accompaniment heard in the series, they use a piece of orchestra in the beginning. However, they add some Spanish style guitar music in other parts. In one other podcast, I heard some John Cage style piano music.
Art History Reports: The Bulls of Picasso
Went to the Bechtler Museum to look at Picasso’s prints of bulls, pottery, and scenes adapted from an Honor de Balzac book. In comparison to the blockbuster shows one sees at the High Museum, this exhibition makes for a small show they confined to one room. On the bulls, the Toro prints have this very Japanese feel with its dark opaque shapes and light lines. Other prints show scenes of dancing nude women while old women look at them. An interesting study of contrasts. On the pottery, it left me ambivalent.
“Like a Picasso” by Bonnie Pointer
I like the thumping beat. She likes her man because he sees in many different angles.
From the Golden Girls: Sophia’s tall tales about trysts with artists
It would have also worked had she name dropped Joan Miro or Salvador Dali.
Guernica and Picasso, forever tied with each other
Between this, the art history references in Sherlock, and portrayal of Van Gogh, Benedict Cumberbatch has become a mainstay in my love of art history.
High on Modern and Contemporary Art
Went on a road trip with mom to see the major heavy hitters of Modern and Contemporary at the High Museum of Atlanta. From Pablo Picasso to Andy Warhol, the show started with the Spanish Cubist and ended with the American Pop Artist. Beyond the big names, we see this evolution of fine art depicting everyday objects. After this cut, I give you my thoughts and why I think so.
