Picasso Four Ways
Last Friday night, we sent a bunch of our writers to Picasso Teen Night Out at Seattle Art Museum. Here's what four of them thought:
Ehrik A.:
A little known fact is that before Pablo Picasso became an artistic deity, he dropped out of school when he was sixteen years old in order to explore the vast world of art. And while I am certainly not one to ever promote this type of “career move” to any readers out there, it’s notable to recognize the success of the reliable and clichéd formula: do what you love to do and follow your dreams.
With this in mind, SAM’s Teen Night Out with Mr. Picasso felt right, allowing the chance for ‘the young people’ to explore Picasso’s art and to share their own—young poets from Writers in the Schools (WITS) performed their own poetry, and museum stations encouraged visitors to make their own Picasso-esque collage-masterpieces. An overall very fun event, TNO was refreshing to see so many excited teens crammed shoulder to shoulder in a gallery already oversaturated with fantastic art. I’m definitely looking forward to the next one.
Emma Me.:
Picasso is said to be one of the greatest artists who ever lived. I read about him in school, saw some of his paintings in textbooks, and heard his name mentioned in conversation. However, I never really realized exactly what he was famous for until I got to go the Picasso exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum for Teen Night, an attraction where 1000 teens were able to get free admission to the museum and exhibit. The SAM currently holds a vast collection of Picasso’s paintings and sculptures which they have put together to show the artist’s journey through life. From Picasso’s blue period to his surrealistic pieces, my favorite style of Picasso paintings had to be cubism, for it was easy to get lost in a geometrically overwhelming painting, attempting to determine what a depicted object was before glancing at the title. In general, Teen Night was a good way to attract younger people to see the works of Picasso, especially those like me who might not have realized what an incredible and rewarding experience it would be.
Nikolina S.:
Art should be felt, not explained. As I strolled through the Picasso exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum, I noticed that practically everyone was listening to those funny telephone-looking devices. Something inside of me snapped; I strongly believe that art must be interpreted on an individual basis. I was given a short tour of the exhibit and I couldn’t help but notice that the woman leading the tour seemed to be more concerned with Picasso’s biography rather than giving us a foundation to build our own theories on a particular painting. Frankly, if I were an artist I wouldn’t want people to focus on my personal life, I’d want them to immerse themselves and gain individual insight into my work. People in the museum were listening to facts about paintings, Picasso’s many lovers and an expert’s take on the painting; basically everything except experiencing the art. It was only when I broke away from the tour that I was able to gain an insight behind the genius that is Pablo Picasso. Art speaks to those who give their entire body and soul into understanding the deeper, more complicated meaning and that, of course, is different for everybody. Seattle Art Museum’s Teen Night did, however, succeed in bringing in and captivating young adults; listening to original poetry and making quirky buttons were my personal favorites!
Callan C.:
First off, I have to say that I’m not a huge art enthusiast – sure, I like going to the art museum once in a while, but I’m not particularly knowledgeable or experienced when it comes to art. But WOW, did the Picasso exhibit at SAM really blow my mind! Both the size and variety of the exhibit are amazing; works spanning Picasso’s entire life are on display. There are paintings and sculptures, and also photos of Picasso and his life. I probably would have had a hard time taking it all in if we had not had such a knowledgeable tour guide explaining the meanings of Picasso’s works as well as the techniques he used to create them. She pointed out to us the fascinating evolution of Picasso’s art over his lifetime, and what caused his changing style. Even for the amateur art enthusiast, it was definitely an experience to remember!
Picasso is NOT Teen Tix eligible. Student (w/ID)/youth (13-17) tickets are $18. But, there are a few ways for you to see this exhibit for less:
Thursday January 6, student/youth tickets are $8 all day (10 AM - midnight)
Thursdays & Fridays from 5 PM - 9 PM student/youth tickets are $15
OR, grab 9 of your closest friends! Student/youth tickets for groups of 10 - 29 are $14.
For more information about this exhibit, including a full calendar of special events, visit picassoinseattle.org.
Ehrik A.:A little known fact is that before Pablo Picasso became an artistic deity, he dropped out of school when he was sixteen years old in order to explore the vast world of art. And while I am certainly not one to ever promote this type of “career move” to any readers out there, it’s notable to recognize the success of the reliable and clichéd formula: do what you love to do and follow your dreams.
With this in mind, SAM’s Teen Night Out with Mr. Picasso felt right, allowing the chance for ‘the young people’ to explore Picasso’s art and to share their own—young poets from Writers in the Schools (WITS) performed their own poetry, and museum stations encouraged visitors to make their own Picasso-esque collage-masterpieces. An overall very fun event, TNO was refreshing to see so many excited teens crammed shoulder to shoulder in a gallery already oversaturated with fantastic art. I’m definitely looking forward to the next one.
Emma Me.:Picasso is said to be one of the greatest artists who ever lived. I read about him in school, saw some of his paintings in textbooks, and heard his name mentioned in conversation. However, I never really realized exactly what he was famous for until I got to go the Picasso exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum for Teen Night, an attraction where 1000 teens were able to get free admission to the museum and exhibit. The SAM currently holds a vast collection of Picasso’s paintings and sculptures which they have put together to show the artist’s journey through life. From Picasso’s blue period to his surrealistic pieces, my favorite style of Picasso paintings had to be cubism, for it was easy to get lost in a geometrically overwhelming painting, attempting to determine what a depicted object was before glancing at the title. In general, Teen Night was a good way to attract younger people to see the works of Picasso, especially those like me who might not have realized what an incredible and rewarding experience it would be.
Nikolina S.:Art should be felt, not explained. As I strolled through the Picasso exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum, I noticed that practically everyone was listening to those funny telephone-looking devices. Something inside of me snapped; I strongly believe that art must be interpreted on an individual basis. I was given a short tour of the exhibit and I couldn’t help but notice that the woman leading the tour seemed to be more concerned with Picasso’s biography rather than giving us a foundation to build our own theories on a particular painting. Frankly, if I were an artist I wouldn’t want people to focus on my personal life, I’d want them to immerse themselves and gain individual insight into my work. People in the museum were listening to facts about paintings, Picasso’s many lovers and an expert’s take on the painting; basically everything except experiencing the art. It was only when I broke away from the tour that I was able to gain an insight behind the genius that is Pablo Picasso. Art speaks to those who give their entire body and soul into understanding the deeper, more complicated meaning and that, of course, is different for everybody. Seattle Art Museum’s Teen Night did, however, succeed in bringing in and captivating young adults; listening to original poetry and making quirky buttons were my personal favorites!
Callan C.:First off, I have to say that I’m not a huge art enthusiast – sure, I like going to the art museum once in a while, but I’m not particularly knowledgeable or experienced when it comes to art. But WOW, did the Picasso exhibit at SAM really blow my mind! Both the size and variety of the exhibit are amazing; works spanning Picasso’s entire life are on display. There are paintings and sculptures, and also photos of Picasso and his life. I probably would have had a hard time taking it all in if we had not had such a knowledgeable tour guide explaining the meanings of Picasso’s works as well as the techniques he used to create them. She pointed out to us the fascinating evolution of Picasso’s art over his lifetime, and what caused his changing style. Even for the amateur art enthusiast, it was definitely an experience to remember!
Picasso is NOT Teen Tix eligible. Student (w/ID)/youth (13-17) tickets are $18. But, there are a few ways for you to see this exhibit for less:
Thursday January 6, student/youth tickets are $8 all day (10 AM - midnight)
Thursdays & Fridays from 5 PM - 9 PM student/youth tickets are $15
OR, grab 9 of your closest friends! Student/youth tickets for groups of 10 - 29 are $14.
For more information about this exhibit, including a full calendar of special events, visit picassoinseattle.org.
