Ever since I was old enough to remember, there was a Picasso print hanging in my family’s dining room. Today, when I see that piece of art, memories of childhood come flooding back. It’s nice to bask in the warmth of memories when nothing really seemed to matter, except maybe how far I could ride my bicycle around the block without getting in trouble.
When I lived in DC, I had the opportunity to see Picasso’s collection at the National Gallery of Art. When I found out there was an exhibit in Chicago, I knew I had to check it out. What I didn’t know prior to doing some research was that Picasso had a special bond with Chicago. The funny thing is that throughout his life, while being highly celebrated in the United States, he never set foot on US soil.
In the 1960s, an architect from Chicago wrote a poem to Picasso asking him to design a sculpture for the city. Picasso normally did not accept commissions for work, but said that because he considered Chicago a “gangster city” (alongside Marseille, France) he would do it. What Chicago and Marseille have in common, I have no idea, but it was enough of an explanation for me. So lo and behold, in August 1967, Picasso’s unnamed sculpture was dedicated to the City of Chicago. He was offered $100,000 in payment but refused – he wanted the sculpture to be a gift.
On a sunny Saturday, I took the trip to Daley Plaza to check out the Picasso sculpture for myself. Mixed in with the photographers were some curious-looking individuals dressed in green from head to toe, rolling around and posing for tourists’ pictures on the sculpture.
The unique sculpture is representative of Picasso’s Cubism period.
After my trek (okay, a one mile walk) to Daley Plaza, I visited the Art Institute of Chicago for the “Picasso and Chicago” exhibit, which celebrated Chicago and Picasso’s relationship by bringing together 250 pieces (sculptures, paintings prints, drawings, ceramics) from all over the city.
For your viewing pleasure, I’ve put together a collection of my favorite Picasso pieces from the exhibit.
“Mere et enfant,” 1921
“Red Armchair,” 1931
“Head of a Woman with Straw Hat on a Pink Background,” 1938
“Blind Minotaur Led By a Girl Through the Night,” 1938
“Nude Under a Pine Tree,” 1959
2 comments
Awesome article.
Thanks for reading! 🙂