Burn: Sorry Picasso, Pottery Ain’t It

Breakfast done at the hotel, it was time to get out and explore a little more of Barcelona. Last time I was here I didn’t rate the city much — although, to be fair, I didn’t go much further than La Rambla and its heavy tourist feel. While the Gothic Quarter, where the Picasso Museum sits, is still ground zero for tourism, I was picking up a different vibe this time around.

Maybe it was the bombers (firefighters) arriving at a building fire along my Google Maps route, adding a bit of local authenticity to the walk. Or the smoke-filled lanes that gave the place a creepy, yet oddly cool vibe. Or maybe it was just that it was 9am and dead quiet as I took a slow stroll to see more Picasso. Whatever it was, the place felt less crass than last time.

For a non-art-knower, this is my second Picasso-themed museum visit this trip. The works were donated to the city after Picasso lived here for a while. Despite the Franco period in Spanish history leading Picasso to cancel the grand opening party, the museum lives on today.

Even without knowing my art styles, I could see the character development as the museum progressed. His early works seemed to be him learning by copying famous pieces of the time and adding his own flair. Then he started doing more of his own thing — nude ladies seemed to be in fashion. And then, why not take a colour and make it yours? For Picasso, apparently, it was blue.

Up until this point, it all just seemed like regular art to me — which I guess is fair for an art gallery. Then it shifted into more of what I expect from Picasso: abstract, weird stuff that leaves a lot for the viewer to interpret… or just prompts you to read the paragraph beneath it.

The palace housing the art is impressive in itself. I often find galleries end up in either repurposed historic buildings or modern, stylistic, purpose-built spaces. Honestly, I usually go more for the building than the art. This one was a pleasant mix of both. Beyond the grand stone entrances, the most palace-like part of the museum was a mirrored room, complete with chandelier. Bring on a Bridgerton scene in here.

Then I walked into the pottery gallery. Yep — Picasso dabbled in pottery too. Who knew? As someone with two beginner terms of hand-building under my belt, I can confidently say Picasso’s pottery is… rubbish. He should have stuck to the brush and left the potter’s wheel to those with actual talent. Not all skills are transferable.

Artistic influence complete, I left the museum with plans to check out the chocolate museum next. It’s just around the corner, but as I wander past, I’m not getting a great vibe from the place. I also don’t really feel like eating chocolate — not a great sign when you’re about to visit a chocolate-heavy attraction. I decide to listen to my body, which is calling for some downtime, and head back to the hotel for a nap… still thinking I could be a better potter than Picasso.Baca selengkapnya