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UPDATED: October 31, 2011 NO. 44 NOVEMBER 3, 2011
Breaking Art's Chains
A Shanghai exhibition of Picasso's works sparks reflections on his influence on Chinese painters
By BAI SHI
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PRICELESS WORK: Staff at the Picasso exhibition unpack one of his Cubism paintings and mount it on a wall. The picture depicts a woman sitting on a chair (XINHUA)

A new selection of masterpieces by Spanish artist Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) is being brought to China. The three-month exhibition in Shanghai features 62 priceless masterworks and has kindled discussion about Picasso, and his influence on several generations of Chinese painters.

Although a rare subject among contemporary Chinese artists these days, Picasso remains much admired by middle-aged Chinese painters for his ever-changing artistic styles, prowess in overthrowing conservative traditions of art and being a firm believer in and lifelong practitioner of a Bohemian lifestyle.

EARLY WORK: The Barefoot Girl is representative of Picasso's early work painted at the age of 14 (CFP)

"It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child," said Picasso in his late years. He could paint as well as Raphael at the age of 14, as evidenced by the realistic work The Barefoot Girl. He not only forged new paths in his later career but completely changed the direction of art in the Western world several times.

"He is a liberator and has thoroughly unfettered art and the way art is created," said Yin Zhong, an artist who pursues a fusion of Western skills and Chinese artistic flavors in his works.

Awesome exhibits

The exhibition, which opened at the China Pavilion at the former site of Shanghai World Expo on October 18, offers the Chinese audience a rare opportunity of close contact with Picasso's astonishing masterworks.

Picasso's works were previously introduced to China in Beijing in 1983 and in 2005, but none of the two exhibitions match the Shanghai exhibition in terms of artistic representativeness and completeness. This selection by the National Picasso Museum Paris spans major periods of Picasso's incredibly long art career, consisting of 48 oil paintings, seven block prints, seven sculptures and 50 photographic works. Several of Picasso's most famous masterpieces—such as The Barefoot Girl, Woman in Red Armchair and Les Demoiselles d'Avignon—highlight the exhibition.

Crowds of artists and art lovers are flocking to the China Pavilion to appreciate the paintings.

"Picasso has impressed me for many years, so the exhibition in my hometown is a must-see for me," said Shanghai-based painter Yang Zhengxin who has just returned from a visit to Europe. "I visited museums to see his masterworks and followed his steps in cities where he once lived. Immersing myself in the same environment and atmosphere, I can better understand his works and his ideas for creation."

Chinese artists are not only inspired by his works but also his personality and life philosophy. "Picasso is amazing, and I think a real artist should always be brave enough to confront conservative forces and never give up trying difficult possibilities," said Chinese artist Wang Chengyu.

The exhibits were displayed in Taipei before being shipped to Shanghai. The museum is also trying to find a venue in Beijing before the exhibition moves on to several other Asian cities. "It's a way for us to educate two or three generations of the Chinese public," said Anne Baldassari, Director of the National Picasso Museum Paris shortly before the exhibition was opened.

The Shanghai exhibition marks the largest exhibition of Picasso's works on the Chinese mainland until now, with a selection of works worth $934 million, a new record for art exhibitions in China.

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