A PICASSO PREVIEW (CONT’D)

Facts of Interest...

  1. Pablo Ruiz Picasso b. 1881, d. 1973

  2. Created a staggering 22,000+ works of art in a variety of mediums, including sculpture, ceramics, mosaics, stage      design, and graphic arts.

  3. After 1900 he spent much time in Paris, remaining there from 1904 to 1947 when he moved to the South of France

  4. Blue Period (1901-04)

  5. Rose Period (1905-06)

  6. Cubism (1907)

  7. Forerunner of Surrealism

  8. Modern abstraction

  9. Note that Picasso never gave formal titles to his works of art

  10. 1950's: Lydia Corbett meet Pablo Picasso at Vallauris on the Riviera. Following the Artists separation from Françoise Gilot, the encounter with Lydia (then Sylvette), introduced a new positive phase in his work no she became the model for a cycle of some forty paintings and drawings (the Sylvette cycle) of this period. The 'Heads of Sylvette', a series of folded metal sculptures, which Picasso developed at this time, marked the next major innovation in his sculptural work.  Lydia Corbett still alive is an artist, living in both France and the...

  11. From 1959 to 1961, Picasso and a new companion, Jacqueline Roque - whom he married in 1961 - lived near Aix-en-Provence, the delightful Baroque city that is perhaps best known as the home of Paul Cézanne.

  12. 1961: visited factory specialized in the folding of metal. Saw an opportunity of collaboration of artist and technician. Began paper/cardboard cutouts, which could then be translated into metal.

  13. When SOM (Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill) began their design for the Chicago Civic Center in the early 1960's, senior partner William Hartman envisioned a large-scale public monument to anchor the plaza in front of the building. Dialogue with Picasso began and years later, the commission was ultimately agreed upon.

  14. 1960's designed a 42-inch model of the sculpture that he presented as a "gift to the people" of Chicago. (Presently on view at the Chicago's Art Institute Modern Wing)

  15. Picasso tore up a $100,000 check for the model of the sculpture.

  16. SOM structural engineers facilitate the construction of the artwork.

  17. Fabrication: United States Steel Corporation in Gary, Indiana, where it was entirely preassembled, then disassembled, and subsequently shipped to the Daley Center to be reassembled in its final form.

  18. The piece was Picasso's first work of monumental sculpture in America.

  19. Sculpture completion year: 1967

  20. Site Area 85,000 feet

  21. Weight: 162 Tons.

  22. Building Height: 50 feet

  23. Fabrication: Cor-Ten steel, the same steel as the existing building.

  24. After public unveiling, the untitled masterpiece would come to be known simply as t\"The Chicago Picasso."

  25. When installed, an alderman tried to organize its removal and replaced by monument to Cub's hero, Ernie Banks.

  26. Late Chicago newspaper columnist Mike Royko wrote in the Chicago Daily News in 1967 that it had "a long stupid face that looks like some giant insect that is about to eat a smaller, weaker insect. It had eyes that are pitiless, cold and mean."

  27. 2004: The artist's grandson said he believes the sculpture's inspiration was Lydia Corbett, a long-necked, pony tailed model Picasso used in some 40 sculptures.


Sculptor Julio Gonzalez: Collaborator and Friend

Juli González i Pellicer (1876-1942) 

Born in Spain, as a young man Julio Gonzalez worked in his father's metal smith workshop. Gonzalez took evening classes in art at the Escuela de Bellas Artes. In the late 1890's Julio began to visit Els Quatre Gats, a Barcelona café, where he first met Pablo Picasso.  He left Spain in 1900 and moved to Paris.

In 1920 he renewed his acquaintance with Picasso, for whom he later provided technical assistance in executing sculptures in iron, participating to Picasso's researches on analytic cubism.  He also forged the infrastructures of Constatine Brancusi's plasters.  In the winder of 1927-28, he showed Picasso how to user oxy-fuel welding and cutting.  From October 1928 till 1932, both men worked together - and in 1932, González was the only artist with whom Picasso shared his own personal art carnet. At fifty years old, himself influenced by Picasso, González deeply changed his style, exchanging bronze for iron and volumes for lines.

In Picasso’s own words:

“What is strange to us today will be familiar tomorrow.”

Note the similarities with Picasso.

  1. Many of his works showcase the human figure

  2. Many forms are deconstructed  & abstracted

  3. Welding is a one of his fabrication processes

Photo credit: Joon Han

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