Les_Demoiselle_D'_Avignon

Museum Visted: Moma Piece: Pablo, Picasso “Les Desmoiselle d’ Avignon” Material: Oil Canvas Dimension: 8’*7’8”. My trip to the MOMA was an experience; the choice of painting I want to discuss in my paper is Pablo Picasso “Les Demoiselle d’ Avignon”. This particular painting is done on oil canvas the choice of colors are yellow, black, green, white, pink and reds each colors represented in the painting shows a primitive raw element some may found unpleasing some questioned if it’s either mannerism or futurism. Personally I was taken away with the actual size of the art work up close mainly to have the opportunity to look closely at this masterpiece; the space itself is illumined by the choice of lighting as if the painting seduces you. For the artist himself the complexity of his life is a mere reflection of his work throughout centuries scholars have debate on the essence of his state of mind. The choice of models are depicted in his painting spark some controversy keep in mind displaying the human form in a sexual manner in the 1900’s was morally wrong, women during that era was meant to be the care takers of the home to bear children only, for women to have sexual pleasures was unheard of. The background of Picasso “Les Demoiselle d’ Avignon” was mind provoking in the sense of the original title of the painting was “The Brothel of Avignon” each model in Picasso painting were prostitutes from a brothel in Barcelona. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Demoiselles_d%27Avignon I think the women represent a sexual charged environment their only job is to please men and that’s all no voice of their own. The painting itself looks like a series of shapes, the facial expression are motionless. The expression that I took for this painting was the look in their eyes were sadness because, I was able to place myself as one of the prostitutes trying to get a physiological approach to their state of mind. One have to show some form of compassion for these women to be placed on displayed and once among the “real world” to know that the world judge you solely on your choice of life style and not knowing the reason why one becomes a prostitutes spoke out to me. On the right of the painting two women are wearing mask my interpretation of the mask is secrets and a sexually escapades that no one can talk about publically. Actuality Picasso had its own obsession of African mask where the purpose had its hinted meaning of separation of human and evil focuses. (Kleiner, 2009) The consorted figures in the painting reminds me of Venus, Cupid Folly & Time by Bronzino, it embark of the use of mannerism the technique of the nudity and the choice of models as a focal point. The pre-existing interest before looking at Picasso painting was I thought it would be a standard size that I would see in the textbook and the details would have be flat, But by looking at this painting the human form is used as an instrument how it’s able to tell a story with no words, just your own interpretation. I was very pleased to know that at the museum pictures can be taken also you could gather notes on a particular artist as well. I think Picasso choice of not using crisp bold color for the fruits was fantastic, it was a skillful tactic not to draw your eyes away from the models, also I think Picasso wanted to captivate the mind, and have philosophical debate on how society at that time to be more liberal and less conservative. The body structures of the models are not the standard size of the female body. This particular painting remind of Exekias, “Achilles & Ajax Playing a Dice Game”, formally due to the geometric patterns such as triangles and the plan surface even though Exekias material was done on a vase with details of black figure it use of balanced composition its comparison to Picasso “Les Demoiselle d’ Avignon”. In terms of the use of balanced the composition has its own support by itself. The women in the painting up close up the details of the feet for the women are moderately large almost male. I believe that this would be a struggle of identity, meaning women that are in the painting have a large sexually appetite as the men counter parts. The balance is common and useful where it is better to understanding the social roles in society. Some ecofeminist would state that it’s deconstructing of the anatomy of the women form where it’s dissecting a women mind also. Meaning to be place in the world where the women as the absence reference not being viewed as a human being but a form of meat. I like Picasso in general because he doesn’t follow the traditional norms of any other painter, also the choice of colors set the tone of the visual element it helps you think outside the box. The MOMA museum is a great place to look at modern works up close ranging from Andy Warhol to Cezanne to gain experience to step into history and get lost in the work.