Guest blogger, Saranna Biel-Cohen shares a snippet on the recently concluded Picasso show at the Guggenheim Museum in New York

New York: Picasso Black and White at the Guggenheim Museum in New York closed last week. The show highlighted works from the artist’s prolific career in which he explored the use of black, white and grey tones during every phase of his oeuvre. The exhibition included paintings, sculptures and works on paper in which he consciously employs a monochromatic palette to enhance the formal structure of his compositions. He recalls the tonal tradition of Spanish masters such as Diego Velázquez and Francisco de Goya, while commenting on every day life, his lovers, the political and social upheavals that rocked Europe during his lifetime, and paintings by classical masters. The show was a refreshing look at his body of work and allowed viewers to understand the liberty Picasso felt using black and white. Although the exhibition is now over, the museum website still hosts a series of audio tours related to the show. These are mainly notes on specific works delivered by three commentators, the artist’s daughter, Maya Widmaier-Picasso, Carmen Giménez, Stephen and Nan Swid Curator of Twentieth-Century Art, Guggenheim Museum, and curator of Picasso Black and White and Pierre Daix, an art historian and close friend of the artist.

Enjoy some images from this exhibition here:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Guest contributor Saranna Biel-Cohen lives and works in London. She holds a Master’s Degree in History of Art from University College London with a focus on Modern Indian Art.