By now, everyone must have heard about the damage done to Pablo Picasso’s “The Actor”, all because of a woman who decided to plunge headlong into it. Talk about wanting to be close to the maestro’s work. Well, all I can say is: LOL!
According to officials, the accident has not impacted “the focal point of the composition”. But c’mon, a six-inch gash? I’d say that has become the new focal point! Now, a critique of the painting might go: “Note the use of light and shadows by the artist, which literally places the actor in the spotlight within the piece. Observe also the posture and gesture of the actor, both of which lend dynamism to the work… hmm, hey, what’s this?” LOL. Anyway, puerile jokes aside, I think museums ought to keep all visitors a safe distance away from such irreproducible and priceless works of art. Like who didn’t see this coming? It was just a matter of time before someone bumped into it or was pushed into it by the crowd. And wasn’t it not too long ago that someone’s bubble gum got stuck on an art piece? Do museum curators ever learn? Hopefully they will after this incident.
Curious though, how did this woman fall into the painting? And more curious is the fact that journalists and reporters have so far been merciful enough to avoid giving a name to our mystery klutz of the week. If she’s eventually named, I guess she would unintentionally become a part of history, e.g. “The Actor”, painted in the winter of 1904-5, damaged by Miss K in 2010. Seriously though, if I were in her position, the moment it dawns upon me that I had crashed into a $130 million painting, I’d be begging the press to keep me anonymous.
Tags: painting, redefining picasso
