Art Attack

J'aime la Paris!
I've always hated Te Papa with venomous intensity - a curatorial nightmare more akin to a jumbled, junk strewn flea market than a museum. Today, however, all is nearly forgiven after enthralling visit to current "Cezanne to Picasso" exhibition. 14 paintings trace an art history through major developments from Impressionism to abstraction, all of which centre around Paris as a locus of modern art movements.

Along with Van Gogh, I've always revered Picasso as a towering genius without peer. Despite a massive, lifelong exposure to his cubist, almost cartoon-like figures, they've never lost their freshness. They still retain the striking & daringly original qualities that challenge, provoke and tease the eye and mind. Regardless of the passing of time, they still seem incredibly avant-garde, imho, exciting and novel and innovative, as if uncovered only yesterday. I adore him with religious devotion, so was rapt to be standing for the first time in the presence of (barely a metre away from) a genuine Picasso! (Woman in a hairnet, 1938) Wanting to scream jubilantly, collapse in overwhelmed reverence and bawl my eyes out at the same time, I instead stood in captivated silence, awestruck & speechless with helpless euphoria.

Something profound happened today at Te Papa. I 'floated' away feeling as if having glimpsed the divine. I strongly implore anyone in Wgtn to visit the exhibition which runs til March 29. Best of all, there's no admission fee! The best things in life are free. Have fun & spoil yourself!