Picasso’s magical summer at Fontainebleau

From October 01, 2023 to February 10, 2024, the Museum of Modern Art presents “Picasso in Fontainebleau”, a focused exhibition examining Picasso’s body of work created between July and September 1921 in the town of Fontainebleau, France.

Source: The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York · Image: Pablo Picasso. “Three Women at the Spring”. Fontainebleau, summer 1921. Oil on canvas, 6′ 8 1/4″ x 68 1/2″ (203.9 x 174 cm). The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Allan D. Emil. © 2022 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / Pablo Picasso, “Three Musicians”. Fontainebleau, summer 1921. Oil on canvas, 6′ 7″ x 7′ 3 3/4″ (200.7 x 222.9 cm). The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Mrs. Simon Guggenheim Fund. © 2022 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

The exhibition reunites both monumental versions of Picasso’s “Three Musicians” and “Three Women at the Spring” with the other major works on canvas, small preparatory paintings, line drawings, etchings, and pastels he created in Fontainebleau. This is the first time these works have been presented together since they left Picasso’s studio. Encompassing both Cubist and classic academic styles, these works are complemented by never-before-seen photographs and archival documents.

Organized chronologically, “Picasso in Fontainebleau” begins with a prelude to the artist´s three months at Fontainebleau. Pre–World War I Cubist works exhibited in Paris during early 1921 are on view in the first gallery, accompanied by a selection of Picasso’s designs for the Ballets Russes and related print projects. As the exhibition transitions into Picasso’s time in the town of Fontainebleau, his diary-like line drawings of the interior and exterior of his rented villa, at 33 boulevard Gambetta (now 33 boulevard du Général Leclerc) in Fontainebleau, are presented, along with documents from the artist’s archives and some 30 photographs, many of which are exhibited for the first time.

The final gallery of “Picasso in Fontainebleau” brings together many of Picasso’s Fontainebleau works for the first time, including both versions of “Three Musicians” and “Three Women at the Spring” and five large, pastel head drawings closely related to “Three Women at the Spring.” Echoing Picasso’s Fontainebleau studio, the exhibition will install the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s “Three Musicians” and MoMA’s “Three Women at the Spring” sideby side for the first time since 1921. These two seemingly opposite paintings—Cubist and classical in style—which were painted roughly at the same time, emphasize the interconnectedness of Picasso’s process and practice that resulted in a varied body of work across mediums, models, and visual idioms.

By Mark Anderson

In the realm of contemporary graphic design, few artists dare to delve as deeply into the profound mysteries of human existence as Tianyun Jiang. Since embarking on her professional journey in 2015, Tianyun has risen to prominence, not merely as a designer who adheres to the principle of “form follows function,” but as a visionary artist who weaves the threads of philosophy and poetry into her creations.

One of her most notable triumphs, “Cuber,” recently earned her the prestigious Distinguished Merit at this year’s 3×3 International Illustration Annual, solidifying her place as a trailblazer in the world of art and design.

The narrative of “Cuber” unfolds with a captivating visual metaphor: a human figure confined within the geometric boundaries of a cube, embarking on a transformative odyssey through a world characterized by constant change. Every twist and step in this mesmerizing motion graphic triggers a profound metamorphosis, serving as a poignant symbol of the boundless potential that exists beyond the rigid confines of societal norms.

Tianyun Jiang’s masterpiece challenges the conventional wisdom that relegates individuals to the roles of mere cogs and gears in the grand machinery of society. Instead, “Cuber” stands as a vivid testament to our innate capacity to dream, aspire, and reach for greatness. While complete freedom may remain elusive, it tantalizingly lingers within our grasp, inviting us to pursue our unique brands of happiness and revel in the inexhaustible wonders of existence.

The visual journey embarked upon in “Cuber” is not merely a spectacle for the eyes; it is a clarion call to each of us, urging us to carve our paths through the uncharted territories of possibility, to transcend the boundaries that seek to confine us, and to craft narratives of existence that are uniquely our own. In a world often preoccupied with conformity and uniformity, Tianyun’s artistry stands as a testament to the resilience and boundless creativity of the human spirit.

“Cuber” is more than an artwork; it is an anthem, a rallying cry that implores us all to unfurl our wings and soar into the limitless skies of self-discovery. It beckons us to consider our existence not as a predetermined path but as a canvas awaiting the bold strokes of our choices, actions, and aspirations.

For those seeking to explore more of Tianyun Jiang’s visionary creations, her Instagram account, serves as a portal into a breathtaking portfolio that seamlessly weaves design and artistry into a tapestry of innovation. Her works continue to challenge conventions and inspire all who encounter them. Without doubt, Tianyun Jiang’s artistic journey is an ode to human potential and a testament to the power of creativity to transcend boundaries.

“Cuber” exemplifies her ability to fuse philosophy, poetry, and design into a single narrative that encourages us all to break free from the shackles of conformity and embark on our own poetic journeys of self-discovery. In a world yearning for innovation and inspiration, Tianyun’s art offers a glimpse into the boundless possibilities that await those who dare to redefine existence.

About

Tianyun Jiang is a skilled and accomplished graphic designer, recognized for her innovative approach and diverse skill set. With a strong educational background, she has demonstrated her expertise through notable contributions to prominent brands such as Dove under the Unilever brand and Diageo spirits at ForceMAJEURE Design in New York City. Tianyun’s proficiency in software tools like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and After Effects, as well as 3D modeling software such as Cinema 4D and Rhino, has contributed to her reputation as a versatile designer. Through her commitment to pushing the boundaries of visual storytelling, Tianyun continues to excel in the competitive fields of graphic and industrial design.

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The National Gallery pays tribute to Frans Hals, the virtuoso of Dutch portraiture

From 30 September 2023 to 21 January 2024, the National Gallery in London presents the largest Frans Hals exhibition for 30 years

Source: National Gallery, London · Image: Frans Hals, ‘The Laughing Cavalier’ (detail) (1624). Wallace Collection, London

The exhibition follows a largely chronological display of portraits, with separate sections for genre paintings and small portraits, allowing space for Hals’s unsurpassed group portraits from the Frans Hals Museum in Haarlem, which have rarely left the city since they were painted some four centuries ago.

One of the world’s best-known pictures Frans Hals’s ‘The Laughing Cavalier’ has been loaned for the first time for this exhibition. Following the Wallace Collection’s landmark decision in 2019 to lend works from its collection on a temporary basis for the first time in its 120-year history, the picture comes to Trafalgar Square from its home in Manchester Square, where it has been on display since the 1870s.

‘The Laughing Cavalier’ is one of the finest of the artist’s work which, in his own lifetime, was recognised for its exceptionally lively characterisation of people. He was one of very few artists throughout the history of Western painting who successfully managed to paint people smiling and laughing, a challenge shunned by most painters because it was so difficult.

As well as key loans from Dutch collections, other highlights in the exhibition include ‘Portrait of Isaac Massa’, 1626 (Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto); ‘Portrait of Pieter Dircksz. Tjarck’, about 1635–38, (Los Angeles County Museum of Art, California); ‘The Rommel-Pot Player’, about 1618–22 (Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth, Texas); ‘Portrait of Tieleman Roosterman’, 1634 (The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio.)

Since the rediscovery of his work in the 19th century, Hals’s paintings have been held in high regard and have been popular with the public, but it is more than thirty years since a large exhibition devoted to his work was held (in Washington, London, and Haarlem, in 1989–90).

Hals’s quick painting technique earned him his reputation as a virtuoso whose handling of the brush was equalled only by the likes of Rembrandt in the Netherlands or Velázquez in Spain. However, his work more or less faded into oblivion for much of the 18th and 19th centuries, his bravura as a painter waiting to be rediscovered in the second half of the 19th century by the art critic and journalist Théophile Thoré-Bürger, who rediscovered Vermeer; and by the Impressionists, who greatly admired Hals’s brushwork.