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On Wednesday, September 13, the Luxembourg Museum in Paris becomes the epicenter of a groundbreaking exploration spotlighting the artistic symbiosis between the immense Spanish painter Pablo Picasso and no less talented American writer Gertrude Stein. Cécile Debray, the director of the Picasso Museum in Paris, describes this juxtaposition of works as “a skewed look at Picasso” who left us already 50 years ago. She serves as the curator of this exhibition alongside art historian Assia Quesnel.
Tracing the paths of these two icons of the art world who first met in Paris between 1904 and 1905, the exhibition immerses us in a bubbling era where Picasso, newly arrived in France, discovers the masterful works of Paul Cézanne and [Henri] Matisse within the circle of the Steins, a family of wealthy bohemians recently settled in the City of Light.
“It is truly a friendly coup de foudre,” reports Debray, emphasizing Picasso’s immediate desire to paint a portrait of Gertrude Stein. This fruitful relationship will catalyze the first avant-garde of the 20th century, sowing the seeds of the Cubist movement that will significantly influence the American art scene, thus fostering the fertile ground that will welcome the new school of New York and the prestigious MoMA.
The museum itinerary offers a journey through time, from the incomparable legacy of Cézanne to the emergence of Cubism, not forgetting the bold experiments of the American underground scene and contemporary artists, direct heirs of this bustling avant-garde. Over a hundred works are on display, offering visitors a very dense panorama of this effervescent era.
The richness of this period is also highlighted by the featuring of poetic texts by Gertrude Stein, a striking and avant-garde figure in 20th century American literature. Art lovers will also have the privilege of hearing rare sound recordings of her voice, accompanied by postmodern dance videos, highlighting the scope of her influence. Connoisseurs will also be delighted to discover “more experimental” cardboard assemblies created by Picasso, generously loaned by the Picasso Museum in Paris.
The second part of the exhibition promises an immersion into the writer’s artistic journey between Paris and the US from the mid-20th century to the present, with a sharp look at the conceptual, performative and critical approaches of the American art world, embracing fields as varied as art, poetry, music and theater.
The opening of this exceptional retrospective convenes the brightest minds of American art, such as John Cage, Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, Merce Cunningham, Trisha Brown and Andy Warhol, thus bridging different eras and demonstrating the depth of influence that these two art giants exerted on generations of artists.
By exploring this rich and prolific period of creativity and artistic experimentation, the Luxembourg Museum offers art enthusiasts a unique opportunity to rediscover Picasso and Stein in a new light, through a scholarly exhibition that bears witness to the dynamism of the avant-garde of the 20th century.
With AFP
