Cubism, a revolutionary avant-garde art movement that came into existence during the 1900s, radically changed our vision of reality and form. Initially founded by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque during those years between 1907 and 1914, Cubism broke away from traditional one-dimensional realism and exposed the portrayed object from numerous viewpoints at the same time. This exhibition, “Facets of Reality: “The Cubist Revolution,” represents essential pieces of prominent artists of this paramount epoch done by Picasso, Braque, Juan Gris, Fernand Léger Roger de La Fresnaye, and Jacques Lipchitz. The selected artworks illustrate the movement’s development from the first, more analytical, phase to the second, more synthetic, phase inviting to study the change and impact the school of art had on modern art.
Cubism emerged as a reaction to the further mechanization and urbanization of the society, depicting something that embodies the diversity and chaotic movement of the contemporary world. While the traditional linear perspective, which had been a major part of Western art from the Renaissance onward, was widely believed to be out of sync with the complexity of the modern world. Unlike the artists of the past Cubism broke objects into geometric shapes and built them up again in the forms which were not representational but the abstracted ones that conveyed many perspectives.
One of the symbols of the first stage of Cubism development is “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon” by Pablo Picasso (1907). This work, by virtue of its radical departure from the conventional canonical representation, is generally viewed as the predecessor of Cubism. The transformation of nude women with disproportionate forms and sharp lines, which illustrate new perceptions of beauty and abstraction, is the main purpose of this artwork.
The first phase of Cubism that was later named Analytical Cubism was aimed at breaking down the objects into each building block which were geometric in shape. This period of time which is generally considered as the Subway Period and was from 1908 till 1912 is characterized by the monochromatic palette and the intricate, overlapping planes that achieve the effect of the structure of the subject.Georges Braque’s “Man with a Guitar” (1911) serves as an Analytical Cubism prototype. The fragmentation of forms and the subdued color palette in the painting generate a deep and complex feeling, making several entries through the composition possible. In the same fashion, Picasso’s “Girl with a Mandolin (Fanny)” (1910) dissects the human figure into separate planes, intersecting each other and forcing the viewer to rearrange the abstract image in the mind.
The principles of “Analytical Cubism” of Jacques Lipchitz’s sculpture “Man with a Guitar” (1915) spread three-dimensionality. The sculpture’s angular, faceted forms bring into a game of light and shadow, thus highlighting the connection between volume and space.From 1912, Cubism developed to its second stage, which was called synthetic cubism. It is the time when bright colors, simpler shapes, and collage elements got the entrance as the artists wanted to recompose reality in an amusing and ingenious way. The “Breakfast (Le Petit déjeuner)” (1914) of Juan Gris is one of the examples of Synthetic Cubism. Through fragments of daily objects, the author uses bold colors and adornment to create an abstract composition but at the same time it is harmonious. Gris’s use of collage methods where she puts newspaper cuttings, shows acceptance of the movement by the pop culture and mass media.
The “Exit the Ballets Russes” (1914) by Fernand Léger can be considered as an example of the Synthetic Cubist style. Through his bright-colored, machine-like images, the painting shows life in the city as full of movement and power. He utilized colorful contrasting colors and minimalist designs showing the tendency to a more decorative and convenient form of Cubism.The share of cubism in the growth of modern art could never be assessed other than offered positively. The imposition of the idea of anti-traditional, which used to be the concept of the movement, gave the start of the new avant-garde movements like Futurism, Constructivism, and Surrealism. Moreover, this trend brought the approaches of abstraction and fragmentation as a reference for today’s art and design.
One of the features which must not be forgotten is the variety of the techniques and innovations that led to the creation of diverse works such as Roger de La Fresnaye’s “La Conquete de L’Air” (1913) and Pablo Picasso’s “Ma Jolie” (1911-12). The painting by La Fresnaye is a combination of Cubism and his figurative approach which is symbolic of an artist’s attachment to modernism and classics. With the “La Jolie” image, Picasso was most likely at the height of Analytic Cubism with his fantastic interlaced nets of forms and textures.The movement continued to transform the theme of everyday objects, which are now resembling pure abstract forms, targeted at making the viewer question his assumptions about the depicted objects. However, collage was an essential motif in Braque’s art, which distinguishes it from the Synthetic Cubism genre. These objects include wood grain or printed paper.”Facets of Reality: The Cubist Revolution” celebrates the revolutionary deeds of Cubist artists which employed non – classical methods in painting and sculpture to express the world. By means of their innovative utilization of the geometric abstraction, multiple views, and collage, these artists not only renew the extras of art but also depict the intricacies of the modern time.
This exhibition offers a unique opportunity for the viewer to delve into various aspects of Cubism, a movement that is not only undying but also stimulates the creativity of many modern and contemporary artists.
References:
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). “Pablo Picasso. Les Demoiselles d’Avignon. Paris, June-July
1907.” MoMA. Accessed May 17, 2024.
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). “Georges Braque. Man with a Guitar. Céret, summer
1911early 1912.” MoMA. Accessed May 17, 2024.
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). “Cubism Collection.” MoMA. Accessed May 17, 2024.
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