Picasso 'stole the work of African artists'

UK Telegraph ^ | 3/12/06 | Stephen Bevan

[Ramius]

His letter has prompted a furious response, with one correspondent comparing his attitude to the "black fascists who were critical of Paul Simon when he collaborated with Ladysmith Black Mambazo". Simon worked with the group on his Gracelands album in 1986 and was accused of exploiting them for commercial ends. Picasso and Simon are not the only artists to have been accused of appropriating African art without giving full credit.

Huh? Paul Simon certainly *did* give full credit to Ladysmith Black Mambazo for the Graceland work. He also featured them on his tour. They got wide and heavy publicity, and they became stars overnight. Who's exploiting who?

[Bonaparte]

This will inhibit other pretigious exhibits from being brought to SA. Then Memela will whine that Africans are now being slighted and discriminated against.

Perhaps he can be mollified by sending an art exhibition that vividly depicts events in African history.

Suggested themes might include, "Africans selling their people to Dutch slavers," "Sudanese slavery today," "Screaming girl being clitorectomized," "Rape and massacre of the Christians," "Raped infant with AIDS," "Burning tire man in agony," "Murder and robbery of the white farmers" and "Night of the Hutu machete."

[pabianice]

Of course. Everyone knows Africans invented painting. And music. And mathematics. And modern chemistry and physics. And astronomy. And the Space Shuttle. And the iPod. And they all were stolen by European and Jewish thieves. I am the walrus! Koo-Koo Kachoo!

[kingu]

Every original thought and concept first came out of Africa. Didn't you get the memo?

Was that memo tucked in with the check from the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy? Because mine hasn't arrived in the mail yet, durn it.

[Publius6961]

He added: "There were four artists - Picasso, Braque, Matisse and Derain - who put tribal art on the map. It was regarded as of no cultural importance but then they started buying it at junk shops and they elevated it to the same importance as Renaissance art."

That's the irony of this whole discussion. Had it not been for Picasso, Braque, Matisse and Derain - that primitive art would still be of no cultural importance in civilized countries.
As it remains for me, as does Picasso's most famous works.

I would love to have some of Picasso's earlier works, before he became famous and rich, and African.

[ozzymandus]

Lest we forget, blacks also built the pyramids, and black people could fly until the cruel white devils pulled their wings off. So sez calypso louie.

[Publius6961]

Does that include slavery and mass genocide?

Certainly.

[durasell]

I don't see the controversy here...African art is terrific. Picasso is great. If he incorporated some of the stylistic aspects of African art into his works, then he did so because they moved him. What's the big deal?

[Calvin Locke]

I thought it was a black person that invented white people, or was it "ice" people?

[RightWhale]

The African styles in some of Picasso's work have been known since they first appeared. Picasso was capable of highly realistic portrait drawings, as well as having the idea of incorporating time into static pieces. The various styles used to express his aesthetics are mere instruments.

[Calvin Locke]

I saw a tv segment on Picasso years ago. They showed a doll-sized sculpture that incorporated a matchbox or
hotwheels car as the head or part of the head, of the effigy.

The big deal is that the inferiority complex of some people really messes up reality.

Did you know that Picasso's "Dove of Peace" was really a pigeon (pigeons, I guess are "rock doves" nesting on
buildings instead of cliff walls...)

And I believe he was shaken down for a contribution to some communist protest, and offered up the pigeon painting.

[durasell]

I'm a big fan of African art (and yes, I've put a great deal of money where my mouth is). The thing that is one of the most fascinating is there is a very clear stylistic line between pre-colonial and post-colonial objects.

I'd suggest that the guys who are actually making the stuff -- whether they're Picasso or some unknown shaman from the 1800s -- could care less about influences and controversy. They were doing what they did for their own reasons.

[Pharmboy]

Hmmm...I don't see the African influence.

[durasell]

...on the other hand, a story like this and controversy increases my "investment." So I say, let'er rip!

[durasell]

Look at Guernica

[theFIRMbss]

>The African styles in some of Picasso's work have been known since they first appeared. Picasso was capable of highly realistic portrait drawings, as well as having the idea of incorporating time into static pieces. The various styles used to express his aesthetics are mere instruments

One legend is, if a random artist approached Picasso with art and asked if the piece was really by Picasso, Picasso would just judge if he liked it and, if he did, he'd sign it. Picasso was just a brilliant craftsman with a sharp sense of humor -- a proto-Kaufman!

[durasell]

I'd disagree. You don't get that good by not taking the work seriously. Picasso, I think, was likely to goof on the commerce of art, but not the stuff itself.

[river rat]

"Every original thought and concept first came out of Africa. Didn't you get the memo?"

That could explain the ignorance, poverty, backward, disease ridden, immoral and uncivilized state in most of Africa today....

The "original thought" or "original genius" was expended and never recovered....

Semper Fi

[libstripper]

Absolutely. Take a look at English literature and fiction since the time of Shakespeare. Much of it is inspired by his plots, including the current season of "The Sopranos" where it's predicted that we'll see a Soprano family meltdown much like the familial meltdown that befell King Lear. Now we should all go out and accuse the "Sopranos" writers of stealing "King Lear" from Shakespeare.

[wagglebee]

Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola openly admitted that "Godfather Part 3" was based on "King Lear."