By Sky Holmes
ART WORLD GIANTS MEET IN PICASSO/DALÍ, DALÍ/PICASSO!
Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida one of only two venues to host this landmark exhibition.
Set in an inviting locale for art lovers wanting to escape the grey skies of Britain, the Dalí Museum in St Petersburg, Florida tells one of art history’s great untold stories in a new landmark exhibition.
Picasso/Dalí, Dalí/Picasso explores the legacies of two of the most influential 20th century Spanish artists, Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí and features rarely-loaned works from more than 20 international museums and collectors worldwide. The exhilarating exhibition is comprised of more than 90 pieces, including paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures and archival documents, as well as postcards written by Dalí to Picasso. There are also pieces from the Picasso family’s private collection.
“This is truly a world-class exhibition” said David Downing, the Visit St. Pete/Clearwater Interim Director. “There’s no doubt that an art event of this magnitude solidifies the area’s reputation as a world-class arts destination.”
The exhibit sheds light on the more than 30-year relationship and interactions between the two artists and highlights the similarities in their artistic evolution. In the spring of 1926, Dalí took his first trip to Paris and visited Picasso in his studio as he prepared for his summer exhibition at Paul Rosenberg. After returning to Spain, Dalí set to work on an important group of paintings which reflected this encounter and marked a transition to artistic maturity.
Throughout the following years and through the 1940’s, the artists went through various phases, including delving into their well-known periods of Surrealism and Cubism; they also both created works portraying the human anguish and conflict in response to the Spanish civil war. Their art converged in a way that was inspired by the great art of the past, in particular, their mutual admiration of the 17th century Spanish Golden Age painter Diego Velázquez. It was through this inspiration that they dealt with the history of art’s grandest aspirations and their own yearning for artistic achievement.
The Florida museum is one of only two venues globally that will house the collection and its selection to take part speaks to the cultural renaissance that has transformed the St. Pete/Clearwater area in recent years. Culture lovers can enjoy sites such as the Chihuly Collection of breath-taking glass sculptures at the Morean Arts Centre or even take part in a walking Mural Tour of the funky artworks that adorn public spaces in the downtown area.
Picasso/Dalí, Dalí/Picasso will remain on display in St. Pete until 16 February 2015 and then relocate to the Museu Picasso in Barcelona where it will be on display from 19 March – 28 June 2015.
To book tickets, visit www.thedali.org. For more information about St. Pete/Clearwater, visitwww.visitstpeteclearwater.com.