- Title: Morocco showcases Picasso masterpieces for first time
- Date: 24th May 2017
- Summary: RABAT, MOROCCO (MAY 22, 2017) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF MOHAMMED VI MUSEUM FOR MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY ART POSTER ON BUILDING ADVERTISING PABLO PICASSO EXHIBITION VARIOUS OF PICASSO'S PAINTINGS AND SCULPTURES ON DISPLAY EXHIBITION CURATOR, COLINE ZELLAL, GIVING LECTURE ON PICASSO ZELLAL AT PODIUM GIVING LECTURE (SOUNDBITE) (French) EXHIBITION CURATOR, COLINE ZELLAL, SAYING: "One of the major problems we faced while organising this exhibition was about choice, choosing what Picasso we should show to the Moroccan public. I hope that this choice will please the visitors because what we tried to do is to show the diversity of Picasso's work and be able at the same time to show paintings, sculptures, drawings, etchings and ceramics because Picasso was always experimenting and that was the main idea behind the choice we made." VARIOUS OF PICASSO PAINTING 'PORTRAIT OF A MAN' ON DISPLAY VISITOR LOOKING AT ARTWORK AT EXHIBITION VARIOUS OF ARTWORK ON DISPLAY CONTEMPORARY ART ACADEMIC, ANDROULA MICHAEL, TALKING TO VISITORS (SOUNDBITE) (French) CONTEMPORARY ART ACADEMIC, ANDROULA MICHAEL, SAYING: "In fact, Picasso did not look for decoration or realism only. He was a perfect artist and he was looking for something deeper in art. He was looking for more essential things in life such as love and death and real issues. For him, it was not only a question of dexterity or drawing because he knew perfectly how to do that." VARIOUS OF ARTWORK ON DISPLAY VISITORS GATHERED AT EXHIBITION DIRECTOR OF MOHAMMED VI MUSEUM FOR MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY ART, ABDELAZIZ IDRISSE, TALKING TO TWO VISITORS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) DIRECTOR OF MOHAMMED VI MUSEUM FOR MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY ART, ABDELAZIZ IDRISSE, SAYING: "Today, the average Moroccan, an artist or anyone interested in art cannot say that they did not have the opportunity to see the work of Picasso. This exhibition is a historical one because it shows 115 artworks, half of them at least are major museum pieces that mean a lot to us as a museum. It shows that we, in Morocco, are now able to attract the works of major artists." VARIOUS OF PAINTINGS AND SCULPTURES ON DISPLAY EXTRACT OF A QUOTE FROM PICASSO TRANSLATED TO ARABIC ON DISPLAY VARIOUS OF PAINTING 'LE JEUNE PEINTRE' ON DISPLAY
- Embargoed: 7th June 2017 12:12
- Keywords: Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art art exhibition cusbist cubism National Museum for Modern Art Rabat Morocco Pablo Picasso
- Location: RABAT, MOROCCO
- City: RABAT, MOROCCO
- Country: Morocco
- Topics: Art,Arts / Culture / Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA0016I73W45
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: For the first time, artwork by Spanish artist Pablo Picasso is on display in Morocco.
The exhibition entitled 'Facing Picasso' is being held at the Mohammed VI museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in the capital Rabat, featuring 115 works by the late artist.
The collection includes paintings, sculptures, ceramics and prints all on loan from the National Picasso-Paris Museum in France.
Curator of the exhibition, Coline Zellal, found it a challenge to choose which pieces to bring to Morocco from their vast collection at the Paris museum.
Zellal said she hoped to showcase the best of Picasso's masterpieces to the Moroccan public.
"I hope that this choice will please the visitors because what we tried to do is to show the diversity of Picasso's work and be able at the same time to show paintings, sculptures, drawings, etchings and ceramics because Picasso was always experimenting and that was the main idea behind the choice we made," she said.
The cubist artist, who died in 1973 at the age of 92, is widely considered to be one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.
Picasso challenged conventional ideas through cubism - by breaking the picture surface up into a series of planes and shifting viewpoints.
Art academic at France's University of Picardie Jules Verne Androula Michael helped organise the exhibition and hoped the eclectic display would highlight Picasso's unique talents.
"In fact, Picasso did not look for decoration or realism only. He was a perfect artist and he was looking for something deeper in art. He was looking for more essential things in life such as love and death and real issues. For him, it was not only a question of dexterity or drawing because he knew perfectly how to do that," she said.
The Museum's director is expecting a record number of people to visit the important collection and hoped the display would raise the museum's profile in the art world.
"The exhibition is a historical one because it shows 115 artworks, half of them at least are major museum pieces that mean a lot to us as a museum. It shows that we, in Morocco, are now able to attract the works of major artists," he said.
The exhibition is due to run until July 31. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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