Name: ROLLY JHON R.

CURAY Section: GRADE 12 HUMSS

Reaction Paper

ART

Art can be found everywhere and can serve multiple purposes. This is true

with Pablo Picasso’s masterpieces, which went beyond just evoking beauty in the

eyes of the beholder. More importantly, he stroked his brush to implore real, truthful,

and powerful messages that carried out a societal revolution. Throughout history, the

arts have undergone numerous changes and innovations, particularly in terms of

style. Consider the Cubist style, which was founded on the idea that the eye

observes things as fragments of a whole from constantly changing viewpoints. Many

artists, including Picasso, utilized this art form to both impress and express. This kind

of dynamic is highly commendable.

Upon reading the content of the article, I observed that it was quite substantial

and cohesive as it narrated the cubism style as an art form. Picasso, best known for

his painting "Guernica," was at the forefront of this art movement. As a short

background, this masterpiece artistically visualized the events of April 27, 1937,

when Hitler's mighty German air force devastated the village of Guernica in northern

Spain—a city with no significant military value. It was the first aerial bombardment of

a civilian population in recorded history. I find this historical allusion to Picasso’s

artwork a unique way of retelling a traumatizing experience and translating it into a

softer view using artistic language. This approach is not only used in paintings but

also in other kinds of output.

 The article never failed to mention the main reason why the painting was

created. Understanding the painting's background can help us comprehend the

audience that Picasso was attempting to engage. Picasso received a commission in

January 1937 to create a mural for the art show "Exposition Internationale des Arts

Techniques dans la Vin Moderne," which would debut in France in May of that same

year. Even though he had never been politically active, the horror of Guernica in

April drove him to vent his rage and make a statement to the world. This is a good

point to make since every art piece has a reason or inspiration as to why it was

made in the first place. Arts are not merely paints on canvas, but they serve as a

way to give voice to the unheard and speak for the mute. Picasso was not only an

artist; he was also smart in his paintings.

And just like any other output, Picasso’s paintings were polarizing during his

time. As the article pointed out, some authorities attempted to replace the painting

before it was put on display with a less "offensive" work of art. The image was poorly

received when it was unveiled at the expo's start. Picasso had anticipated that his

work would shock people; one critic even referred to it as "crazy work." This part of

the article is a bit funny and satisfying as it is a testament to the reality that you

cannot please everyone. Yet, the message of his painting was put across to the

comprehension of the populace, which made the painting effective and vivid. Years

later, the mural would be regarded as one of the twentieth century's most important

works of art, according to the article. It truly did serve its purpose.

Overall, the article's content is not written with a lack of sophistication in terms

of facts. It simply and completely narrated a jigsaw piece of art, cubism, and the

forerunner of the said style, Pablo Picasso. The arts can indeed be used to lavishly
display beauty and detail. On the other hand, we can also intentionally utilize and

redirect its power to serve a greater purpose.