Through lens of Juan Gyenes

I just lately returned from a New 12 months journey to Spain, the place I immersed myself in its wealthy heritage, together with artist Pablo Picasso’s birthplace museum in Málaga and different iconic websites. Throughout my keep in Málaga, I discovered myself close to the Picasso Museum, which affords a poignant tribute to Picasso’s exceptional legacy on this planet of artwork.

After I consider Spain, Picasso (1881-1973) instantly involves thoughts. A towering determine in fashionable artwork, he revolutionized portray, sculpture and extra. Whereas a lot of his life was spent in France, his roots and enduring affect stay deeply tied to Spain.

Earlier than my journey, I had the privilege of attending the opening of the exhibition „Picasso de Málaga: A Glimpse Into Picasso’s World By way of the Lens of Juan Gyenes“ on the Proceed Public sale Gallery in Seoul on Dec. 3. Co-organized by the Embassy & Cultural Middle of Spain, the town governments of Málaga, Seville and Córdoba and the Liszt Institute – Hungarian Cultural Middle Seoul, the exhibition supplied a novel window into the two-decade-long friendship and inventive collaboration between Hungarian photographer Juan Gyenes (1912–95) and Picasso.

Gyenes, a detailed pal of Picasso, provided an intimate perspective into the artist’s world, capturing scenes from his studio in Vallauris and his houses in Cannes and Mougins, France. His pictures, personally accepted by Picasso, reveal not solely the artist’s bodily presence but in addition his emotional depth and boundless creativity. Embracing Picasso’s perception that „every room is a portray,“ Gyenes portrayed Picasso as a person deeply immersed in his artwork, not simply as an iconic determine.

The exhibition highlights Gyenes’ pictures of Picasso from 1953 to 1961, providing an intimate glimpse into the artist’s life and inventive course of. Capturing moments from Picasso’s houses and studios, these pictures reveal not simply his artistry but in addition his emotional depth, framing him as each a artistic icon and a deeply human determine.

What impressed me most was the highly effective {photograph} of Picasso with Gyenes’ „My E book of Bulls“ (1958) and different pictures from the Visiting Picasso/Mai Mano Home collection, capturing Picasso’s life on the Mai Mano Home in Cannes. These pictures mirror his unwavering dedication to his craft and playful spirit, evoking the sensation of encountering Picasso not simply as an artist however as a person pushed by depth and fervour — as if I had been assembly him in particular person a long time in the past.

The energy of Gyenes’ work lies in its capacity to steadiness the seen and the unseen. Picasso, recognized for his selective self-presentation, is captured by Gyenes with placing authenticity, revealing each his outward persona and the emotional currents that formed his world. This duality makes the images each intimate and enigmatic.

Complementing Gyenes’ pictures are Picasso’s personal works, together with a drawing of his eyes from the Museo Picasso Málaga and a portrait from the Musée Nationwide Picasso-Paris.

These works enrich the exhibition, providing a extra profound understanding of Picasso — not solely as an artist but in addition as a person whose mental and emotional life had been deeply intertwined together with his artistic output.

This exhibition additionally jogged my memory of my go to to Budapest, the place I first appreciated the cultural richness of Gyenes’ work. Viewing his pictures now within the context of his friendship with Picasso deepened my appreciation for the creative and cultural change between these two exceptional figures.

Reflecting on this expertise, I’m struck by how artwork transcends time and area, connecting us to the lives and legacies of its creators. The exhibition was not only a tribute to Picasso but in addition a testomony to the ability of collaboration and the enduring affect of friendship within the artistic world. The connection between Picasso and Gyenes is a ravishing instance of how their bond formed each their lives and legacies.

Choe Chong-dae (choecd@naver.com) is a visitor columnist of The Korea Occasions. He’s president of Dae-kwang Worldwide Co. and founding director of the Korean-Swedish Affiliation.