PICASSO IN BEIRUT

Pablo Picasso, Françoise, Claude, Paloma : la lecture et les jeux. I [Françoise, Claude, Paloma: reading and games], Paris, 16 January 1953. Etching, aquatint, and scraper on copper. Third state. Proof by Lacourière, 33,5 × 48,4 cm. Musée national Picasso-Paris, Dation Pablo Picasso, 1979. MP3009. © RMN-Grand Palais. © Succession Picasso 2019

The Sursock Museum hosts a bijou exhibit of the great artist’s work

The Sursock Museum’s Picasso et la Famille, the first exhibition of the Spanish artist in Lebanon, delves into the concept of family, a recurrent source of inspiration for the artist – despite his own lack of commitment to maintaining a stable family unit. Throughout the exhibition, the term not only designates the family Picasso was born into, and the nuclear families he founded with his successive companions, but also families he met or others he invented. One sees Picasso harnessing the notion of family to depict happiness as well as tragedy, to meditate on childhood, motherhood and ageing, and even propose political commentary. Although featuring about 20 works only, the show succeeds in placing the spotlight not only on Picasso’s personal life, but also on his constantly renewed style, spurring a rediscovery of his spontaneity, unfettered creativity and curiosity about multiple media and techniques.

Realised in collaboration with the Musée National Picasso-Paris, under the framework of its “Picasso-Méditerranée” initiative, the exhibition spans the artist’s entire career, from his teen years beginnings to the last years of his life. Early works include the poignant portrait of a young female beggar, La Fillette aux Pieds Nus (1895), a sombre work painted soon after the death of the artist’s sister. The exhibition then unfolds along Picasso’s successive relationships. In the 1950s for instance, Picasso depicted intimacy, with pictures of familial bliss, featuring his children Paloma and Claude at play, and their mother Françoise Gilot. In his final years, when he was married to Jacqueline Roque, the artist turned to using the trope of the family as a meditation on the spontaneity of childhood, in pictures such as Painter and Child (1969). Homme et Femme (1971), a portrait of a seemingly older couple, expressed thoughts about ageing and companionship.

Marie Tomb

Marie Tomb is a Beirut-based art historian, writer, and researcher, with a particular affinity for the Lebanese and Middle Eastern art worlds, a field she has been immersed in for more than a decade. She was trained at Yale University, London’s Courtauld Institute of Art and the School of Oriental and African Studies, where her PhD dissertation focused on Modern Lebanese art. Passionate about disseminating her knowledge of fields and subjects she’s curious about, she is the author of two books on Lebanese Modern and Contemporary art, and of a prolific body of art writings. In parallel, she teaches at university and curates exhibitions. In 2018, she founded online art criticism platform Le Waw. This year, she is the editorial director of Beirut Art Fair.

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER

selections-arts-logo

SELECTIONS is a platform for the arts, focusing on the Arab World.

Selections editorial presents a quarterly print magazine and weekly online publication with high quality content on all subjects related to Art and Culture. Full of world-leading artworks, exquisite brand imagery, original creative illustrations and insightful written articles.
Selections Viewing Rooms presents carefully curated online art shows aiming not only to shed light on contemporary art executed by living artists, but also for viewers to buy contemporary fine art, prints & multiples, photography, street art and collectibles.
Discover the previous and current shows here.
Cultural Narratives foundation is an extensive collection that is travelling the world by leading established and emerging talents aiming to reflect the culture of the region in their works.

RANDOM READS

The Custodian: Under The Hammer With Dr. Ridha Moumni

Rima Nasser: Dr. Ridha Moumni, Marhala: Highlights From The Dalloul Collection at Christie’s represents an extraordinary journey through modern and contemporary Arab art. Could you provide some insights into the selection of artworks and the narrative they convey about Arab…

‘Elsewhere’ by Al Markhiya Gallery at Doha Fire Station

The Al Markhiya Gallery at Doha Fire Station presents “Elsewhere,” a group exhibition featuring works by a collective of contemporary Syrian artists who have embarked on an artistic journey after becoming immigrants in foreign lands. The exhibition invites viewers to…

‘Earth Can be as Dead as It Can Be Alive’ by Alymamah Rashed at Dar Fikar Kuwait in collaboration with HUNNA Art curated by Mathqaf

FIKAR and Hunna Art announce the upcoming exhibition, ‘Earth Can be as Dead as It Can Be Alive,’ curated by Mathqaf. This November, FIKAR and Hunna Art will host the fourth solo show by Kuwaiti visual artist and storyteller, Alymamah…

Dubai Design Week 2023

Under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) and a member of the Dubai Council, Dubai Design Week returns to its home in Dubai Design…

Tabari Art Space presents Maitha Abdalla at Asia Now Paris

Emirati visual artist Maitha Abdalla is showcasing a new body of work at the Asia Now art fair in Paris from October 20 to 22, 2023. Abdalla is an interdisciplinary artist known for her exploration of cultural narratives, often delving…

‘Sunday in the Park with Tom’ by Marwan Chamaa at Mark Hachem Gallery Beirut

On show at Mark Hachem Gallery Beirut is ‘Sunday in the Park with Tom’ a show by Marwan Chamaa. Marwan Chamaa’s artistic journey took him through esteemed institutions such as the American University of Beirut, Beirut University College (now LAU),…

december 2023

27may(may 27)09:0014jan(jan 14)09:00THE CASABLANCA ART SCHOOL

06jul(jul 6)18:0008dec(dec 8)21:00Untitled Abstractions

24aug(aug 24)09:0007jan(jan 7)09:00Arabesque