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As a form of still art, painting might be seen not as fully representative of the complexity and multi-dimensionality of culture. However, the specified impression is quite misleading, as Picasso’s “Guernica” proves strikingly well. Beafutifully capturing the chaos and horror that engulfed Italy as the city of Guernica was bombed, the painting demonstrates that art can reflect culture by using the language commonly understood across cultures and nations.
To demonstrate the shock and terror that every single citizen of Guernica experienced as the bombing began, Picasso used a unique approach that encapsulated his artistic style in a nutshell. Specifically, the broad variety within “Guernica,” its unnatural form and acute shapes, namely, the chaotic portrayal of disjointed body parts and random elements of the environment allows exacerbating the experience of dread. As a result, the audience is allowed to recognize the scale of the incident and the extent of fear and pain that its citizens experienced at the time. The smooth texture contributes to the contrast, creating a sense of other-worldliness, which is supported by the lack of a distinctive pattern (Lyein, 2015). Therefore, the painting offers a unique and insightful, though admittedly somber, look into the nature of the tragedy that transpired in Guernica in 1945 (Carr, 2022). Therefore, the painting reflects the cultural shock that the world experienced.
Furthermore, the painting reflects a shift in culture by portraying the transition toward anti-war sentiments among general audiences. Specifically, the visceral depiction of the horrors that Guernica faced in 1945 is emblematic of the emotional response that its citizens, as well as the entirety of the Italian population, developed toward the concept of war, and the WWII, in particular (Lyein, 2015). The scale of the painting and the space that it takes point to the specified change especially clearly, “Guernica” being a 11-by-25-feet-size art piece (Carr, 2022). Combined with the disjointed perspective, the specified scale of the artwork helps visualize the horrors of WWII especially poignantly, allowing the terror depicted in it to engulf the audience (Lyein, 2015). Furthermore, “Guernica” demonstrates the cultural shift in the perception of war among Italian people, as well as the world, in general, by offering visceral and brutal detail contrasted with the grotesque and nonsensical elements alongside the harsh and emotional linework and the unique use of balance. The specified elements contribute to the general impression, contributing to the unity of the piece.
The fragmented nature of the painting enhanced by the use of color and light in it exacerbates the impression of chaos, therefore, reflecting the attitudes and, ultimately, culture of the specified time period. Namely, the efforts to reconcile with the pain that WWII produced, as well as end the manslaughter that it entailed, are distinctively visible in the painting (Lyein, 2015). Likewise, the dark color value enhances the specified feeling. “Guernica” in its uniquely balanced design represents a desperate call for the humankind to revisit its priorities and values, as well as set the course toward healing.
With its grotesque yet brutally honest portrayal of the disarray that embraced Guernica after the bombing, Picasso’s painting of the same name proves that art can reflect culture by using visual shorthand and symbols ubiquitously present in all cultures. In addition to portraying the emotional and ethical shock that encompassed Guernica, as well as Italy, in general, the painting conveys the core cultural changes observed at the time. Depicting the shock and disarray that devoured the city, as well as Italy and the world, in general, the painting masterfully conveys the cultural shift and the associated cultural shock.
References
Carr, D. (2022). On the Educational Significance and Value of Visual Arts. Journal of Aesthetic Education, 56(2), 1-22.
Lyein, B. (2015). The power of art – Picasso (complete episode) [Video]. Youtube. Web.
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