The Gift

I love museums. Absolutely do. I feel a squealing joy within especially at the sight of man-made creations- the inventions, the ingenuity, the resourcefulness, the translation of perception or imagination into art. Needless to say that when I visited Spain a day trip to Museu Picasso de Barcelona meant sheer bliss.

It's not the passion and the prowess of the prolific Pablo that I wish to propound on here but rather an unexpected incident that brought forward the very ability of mankind to overcome limiting circumstances and create inspiring beauty that I bow to.

As I walked through the hallowed halls dedicated to the greatest artist of modern times I noticed a blind man. Yes, in a museum! I am certain it wasn't a first but it still is positively incredible.

It was apparent that he had been blind for many a years if not born that way. Two reasons behind my assumption, one his listless, light-less half-shut eyes were sunken deep into their sockets. Second, he moved with more than a fair deal of ease, acquired through years of practice by my guess. He was accompanied by a woman who was helping him "see" the museum. With an earnest attempt to be discreet, I trailed behind them to quench my curiosity on how this was supposed to work. And in the process I experienced something I can only call magical.

I heard her use a most florid language to vivify the paintings to the man. I wanted to see what my blind friend was seeing. So I closed my eyes a few times to hear and visualize her descriptions of some of the paintings. Now I do not for one moment believe that my visualization of her words would even come close to what our friend experienced. But I thought that the man had been very fortunate to have a chance to enjoy art in its most visual form, something that nature had made its business to deny him.

As I stalked the couple, I kept my vision low in order to see the paintings after the kind lady was done describing them. There were two sessions that were most memorable and I will relate them as best as my memory serves.

Scene A:

In a room after the one dedicated to his Rose Period

Lady: "....This painting is of a very beautiful woman with an elaborate head dress with cape behind her... She has big, beautiful eyes with a far-off gaze...very pretty oval face with full, red lips...tuft of dark hair curl over her forehead trough under the head dress..Picasso focuses on the face, her head dress and the ruffles on the front of dress..she is sitting, drawn waist up..her hands held together on her lap are hastily sketched on the off-white medium...it's said to be a work of practice because of the unfinished look...there's is an elaborate use of bright colors..oranges and reds with some green..painted in large pigments on the head dress, the dress ruffles and the background..uses pastel colors for face..captures her radiance through intense coloration... some experts believe that she was one of his lovers.." As I opened my eyes, my imagination and vision collided. There she was the exquisitely beautiful...Adriana. But that's what I call her. The painting is actually called La Salchichona or Woman in a Mantilla.

Scene B:

In a room dedicated to his later works in Cubism

Lady: "...is a Cubist work...geometric patterns...dark shades....inspired from a performer that Picasso knew...it appears as a single figure but a careful look at the composition shows a couple dancing..for example if you look at the feet the colors and lines defining the shapes show two pairs of feet..you can see a skirt..the girl is also holding a fan...well-defined, sharp shapes...but has soft, graceful fluidity to show movement.."

Presentarles la Blanquita Suarez

I am not sure what a blind person would perceive when told that the background was composed of orange pigments or the woman's bodice and man's vest were superimposed. But I wish that the hope and endeavor of this karmic poetry showed him the kaleidoscope of life.