More than decades ago, when I was still a student, I asked my teacher what was so good about Picasso's paintings. However, my teacher responded by saying that I was too young to understand.
I couldn't argue with such an answer, so I learned that there was a vast amount of information that was beyond my teacher's ability to explain and my ability to comprehend.
From that day on, the question of what painting truly is has haunted me, consciously or unconsciously, as I searched for an answer.
Now, when i finish school, doing a job of finance and then as a programmer, the answer is starting to become clearer. more than 20 years later, When people look at Picasso's paintings, they are not just questioning the artwork itself, but rather, they are questioning the essence of the human soul. This can be seen as the underlying theme behind the question of what painting truly is.
To understand this concept, we need to take a step back and explore the origins of drawing. Going back millions of years, we can observe the first human-like creature, the ape man, who was the first to recognize his own humanity. This newfound awareness brought about a sense of loneliness as he realized his existence as an individual separate from the group.
The solution to this loneliness usually comes in three forms: the expansion of self through possession, the pursuit of truth about the world through philosophy and science, and the shaping of creation myths through religion.
Painting, like these three paths, aims to bridge the boundaries between different selves. However, painters, unlike others, express themselves through visual images. By doing so, they attempt to alleviate the loneliness of the soul and expand the boundaries of the self. There are three styles of painting that correspond to these aims: realistic reduction (you are mine), abstract reconstruction (I am yours), and the unity of all selves (we are all in this together).
Initially, our ancestors had limited drawing skills, but they conveyed their thoughts and experiences through simple stick figures. They wanted to assert ownership over their surroundings, whether it be capturing a cow or depicting a hunting scene. This process of spiritual appropriation gave them a sense of godliness. As time passed, realistic painting techniques developed and brought paintings to life, blurring the line between what is real and what is depicted. Eventually, the invention of cameras further advanced the progress of realistic painting, allowing everyone to possess images.
The expansion of self through images became the first style of painting, aiming to restore realistic representations. The artist's focus was primarily on the external world. However, they faced the challenge of effectively conveying their experiences through detailed drawings, often finding that others could already guess what they had depicted before they finished.
This led to the emergence of the second style of painting, which focused on symbolic communication. Artists realized they could convey their experiences and emotions more effectively through simple symbols and stick figures. These symbols eventually evolved into hieroglyphics and writing, becoming concise languages that allowed for deeper communication and thought.
The third style of painting, abstract and refactoring, emerged as artists turned their attention inward, exploring their own emotions and inner worlds. In Europe, it coincided with the rise of Impressionism. The Impressionists rebelled against classical painting techniques, seeking to express their suppressed emotions and feelings. This rebellion paved the way for various art movements such as post-Impressionism, fauvism, and surrealism.
Picasso, being acutely aware of the significance of image representation, made groundbreaking contributions to the art world. He realized that human painting had never progressed beyond the cow on the rock wall. Breaking away from the classical techniques he had mastered, Picasso reconstructed images by depicting multiple angles and breaking down rigid shapes. He challenged traditional ways of looking at the world and approached painting with the pure eyes of a child, giving birth to a new perspective.
Throughout history, many artists have explored these three different directions in painting: the picture of reality, the graphic significance, and the image as a cause. The meaning of painting has been debated and discussed, with artists like Claude, a cartoonist, highlighting the importance of comic symbols in visual storytelling.
In conclusion, painting is a means of expanding the boundaries of the self and bridging the gaps between different selves. It encompasses various styles and techniques, each aiming to convey emotions, experiences, and ideas through visual images. Picasso's contributions to the art world, particularly his ability to see the world with childlike wonder, have had an unparalleled impact on the history of art. It is through the exploration of these three directions in painting that we can truly understand the essence of what painting is and its significance in our lives.