Picasso's mistake. Harem of violence today. Artist Gary Abramov. Oil on wood panel. Size: 48x35
I’ve created my painting as an argument to Picasso painting Algerian Women. The theme of a woman as a slave of a man was a big emotional trend in world painting. The first was Eugene Delacroix, who depicted the harem of the Algerian ruler. Later, inspired by this story, Matisse, Renoir and, of course, Picasso created their own variations on this theme. This is my emotional dispute with Picasso. With his most famous version of the Women of Algeria; series of paintings. In the foreground, the woman is almost a copy of Picasso version. But surprisingly, this is the exact archetype of a Ukrainian woman in national dress. In my understanding, the harem of the Algerian ruler has transformed today. The peculiar mentality of the eastern rulers, who had a harem of slaves hidden from all women, depicted in the paintings, was not interpreted as violence. In my understanding, this is a mistake and the reason for the terrible metamorphoses that are taking place. Today it is bullying and sexual violence in Ukrainian cities against Ukrainian women. The holy image above the woman on the right is a reminder of the Christian values of goodness. In her arms is a child - an absolute copy of the childish image of Picasso painting Girl with a Dove. It is symbolic that the dove from this painting by Picasso has become a symbol of peace. In the picture, a girl without a dove in her hands. There is no peace. He disappeared, which means his symbol also disappeared. On the right side of the picture are the ruins of houses as symbols of the human faces of men and women. Weapons and destruction. These symbols of war tie together the fate of the women on the left side of the picture. It is a statement of the integrity of great human error and grief. These mistakes and this grief start from small harems and lead to global catastrophes, manifestations of the most vile and terrible manifestations of human essence.