Meet the Artist: PABLO PICASSO

If you read the last SukasaStyle post (Re: 149 Paintings You Really Need To See In Europe), you’ll no doubt have assumed that Pablo Picasso is one of my favourite artists. And you would be right. Recently while attending the The Guggenheim exhibition at the AGO, I stumbled upon a book in their bookshop called “Meet the Artist! Pablo Picasso” by Patricia Geis, and I was absolutely flabbergasted.

Granted, it really is more of a book for children, but the child in me was giddy with glee. (Secretly, I’d prefer to read this fun edition of Picasso’s life, rather than a dry, boring textbook that is academic in scope devoid of the passion that is Picasso.)

The book is engaging and interactive: lots of flaps, cutouts, and pull tabs to explain how Pablo Picasso’s life evolved over his lifetime – from his earliest painting at age seven to the great masterworks of Les Demoiselles d’Avignon and Geurnica.

Picasso learnt to draw before he had learned how to talk, and he immediately realized that he could get what he wanted through drawing. For instance, he could draw a spiral to say “I want churros!”

If I wondered why I enjoy the work of this legendary Spanish painter so much, I now realized it could be because I employ a childlike curiosity in my own outlook. And, when I read that Picasso shares in my creative sensibilities, I feel even more inspired.

Often, when we look at a painting by Picasso, we think: “But it looks like it was done by a child!” 

And that is because Picasso wanted to paint like a child, he wanted to see things as a child sees them: without preconceived ideas, without being influenced by how we’re supposed to see things.

If I had a young child, I would indulge him/her in all things artistic and creative. And so without a doubt, I can see myself passing on my love for Picasso, during playtime (with painting activities) and bedtime story (with this wonderful book by Patricia Geis). 

There’s another book in this “Meet the Artist” series for Alexander Calder. Just as delightful as Picasso’s book, it includes an interactive element, which has even more impressive 3D cutouts that will delight curious minds. I’ll cover this in the next SukasaStyle post.


Meet the Artist by Patricia Geis, is published by Princeton Architectural Press and distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books.

Post by @ShilpaRaikar