Art fans get the chance to ‘Rendezvous in Paris’ in the Middle East
An exhibition of work by some of the most renowned names in 20th century avant-garde art is currently on show at the Louvre Abu Dhabi.
The exhibition, titled “Changing Societies, Rendezvous in Paris: Picasso, Chagall, Modigliani & Co. (1900-1939),” is set to run until Dec. 7 and features work by the likes of Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, Amedeo Modigliani, Constantin Brancusi and Tamara de Lempicka, with 85 works on show.
Held in partnership with the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the exhibition traces the artistic output of migrant artists in Paris in the first half of the 20th century through their paintings and sculptures.
Highlights include Picasso’s portrait of “Gustave Coquiot” (1901), Modigliani’s “Portrait of Dédie” (1918), Chagall’s “The Father” (1911) and De Lempicka’s “Girl in a Green Dress” (1927-30), which art lovers will be able to view while learning about the lives of the artists, as well as the social landscape of the period. The exhibition allows visitors to learn about Paris at the beginning of the 20th century, when the city experienced an artistic renaissance due to the influx of painters, sculptors and photographers — many of them women — from across Europe, Asia and the Americas.
Driven out of their home countries by political and religious persecution and economic hardships these pioneering minds sought artistic freedom in the city, leading to one of the most interesting periods of creativity the European capital has seen.
The exhibition traces the emergence of several artistic movements, including Fauvism, exemplified in this show through works such František Kupka’s
“The Yellow Scale” (1907) and Kees van Dongen’s “Nini” (c. 1909). Fauvists, open to creative risks and inspired by the works of Van Gogh and Gauguin, developed paintings known for their intense and bright palettes.
The show also explores Cubism through works such as Pablo Picasso’s “Young Girl with a Hoop” (1919).
Along with the Parisian district of Montmartre, the show also spotlights the Montparnasse district, a popular meeting point and Bohemian hub for artists, writers and poets.