Masterpieces sometimes take time to be viewed as such. And who decides when something is a masterpiece? Perhaps the artist sees a masterpiece in their work and the critics do not. Can an artist actually choose their own masterpiece? Galerie Pictura challenged 85 artists to do just that.
An important work of art and major turning point in the art world was Pablo Picasso's work Les Demoiselles d'Avignon. The work was made in 1907 and was so controversial, so new, that it initially received much criticism. He was even laughed at for it. Picasso subsequently decided not to exhibit the piece for an extended period of time. Only years later was it acclaimed and declared a masterpiece. Is there also a similar story behind the works labeled ‘masterpieces’ at Pictura?
Throughout the gallery, works can be found criss-crossing the walls and scattered across the floor. It’s as if all 85 artists were very eager to try and secure a spot. The artworks hang close together, and partly because of Pictura's historic space this arrangement feels like you're stepping into a 19th-century salon. On some walls, the works hang so high that you can barely see them, but that doesn't feel disruptive. Everything interacts with each other, and the masterpieces become one with the space.
In one of the rooms there is a ceramic statue of a little horse. It stands out amongst the other sculptures because it is very small and unassuming next to the stairs. It's almost as if it becomes part of them. ‘This is my masterpiece because it was technically very well done,’ artist Marjan Schaap says of her work Afdalend. The horse creates the suggestion of descent. It is a vulnerable and tender work, made by a ceramicist with a great love for animals. The horse carries two full sacks on its side. ‘It symbolises a period of heavy burden," explains Schaap, ‘there is a lot of myself in it.’
It is not the size of Klaas Koops' work that makes it stand out, instead the power the painting exudes and the subject make you wonder what moved this artist to choose this work. We see the severed head of a man, perhaps the head of the artist himself, resting in a bowl of blood. The man looks up into space with a blank stare. It is death as a masterpiece. The title of the work, Hoofdschotel, makes the work comical, although there is clearly a dark element to it. Koops surprises the viewer with this work because it does not necessarily depict a beautiful or sweet scene.
‘All my works are masterpieces’ Lucius
Artist Lucius is exhibiting his masterpiece Composition No. 142 in grey with red and blue. He won a prize with it once, he says proudly. We see a woman on an armchair. Motionless, she stares ahead. It is a realistically painted woman in an abstract space. With the colours red, white and blue he is referencing Piet Mondrian, but James McNeill Whistler was the basis for this work. ‘All my works are masterpieces,’ says Lucius with excitement. ‘I this work chose because my sister is the one depicted. My sister is my heroine because she saved my life. As a baby, I once accidentally ended up with a safety pin in my mouth. It made it all the way down my throat, so I bled profusely. My sister pulled the pin from my throat. Had it not been for my sister, I would not be standing here now.’
The framed sketchbook of Willem Corsius is striking in its simplicity. The beautiful pen drawing is heavily guarded by a sturdy frame and lock, which might lead you to believe that this is something very precious.
‘Working in a large format means I have no control over what emerges’ Esther IJssels
Artist Esther IJssels explains how her drawing Landschap was a key work in her final year at the academy. A teacher gave her the idea of working on a larger scale. This adjustment completely changed her work by forcing her to work differently. IJssels: ‘Working in a large format means I have no control over what emerges, and that's very exciting. You “disappear” into the work.’
There is something very special about observing the works, knowing that the artist has made it their masterpiece. Making a choice is a daunting task for many artists, and that's perfectly understandable. With this, Pictura has really challenged the artists. It initiates clarification in choices and sometimes an educational look into the artist's past.
Masterpiece can be visited until 12 March at Galerie Pictura in Groningen.
Text and photos: Frieda de Witte