Free exhibit featuring the artwork of masters
By Sonam Kaloti, Arts Editor
In the heart of Oakridge Centre mall in Vancouver West stands a little red carpeted footprint full of fine art pieces. On display are works created by two of the most famous European artists, Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí. Sculptures are scattered on pillars among paintings and pencil sketches. With free admission, I was surprised there were only a handful of onlookers. Every piece in the small exhibit is an original, which elevates how surreal it is for the artwork to be simply standing in the middle of a mall.
This exhibit, titled “Meet the Masters,” is presented by the Chali-Rosso Art Gallery and will be open until October 14. Works on display include Surrealist Piano by Salvador Dalí, an 89-inch black and gold sculpture towering in the middle on the exhibit, and Grande Maternité by Picasso, a beautiful coloured pencil lithograph of a mother fondly cradling her baby, among many other fine pieces.
“I do not paint a portrait to look like the subject, rather does the person grow to look like his portrait.” This is a quote from Dalí, written at the top of a colossal entrance into the roped-off exhibit. A beautiful part of the experience was seeing all the different people come in to witness the artwork; whether they be art-inclined, or people just on their break from work, this exhibit allows everyone to be exposed to magnificent art that they may not have sought out to see on their own.
Dark, cool tone colours are a theme throughout the sculptures by Dalí. Black horses and teal torsos are all decorated with golden accents. Gold highlights the beauty of angels, women, warriors, and wings among many obscure additions to Dalí’s sculptures such as eggs and clocks.
The exhibit displays both the realism as well as abstraction of Dalí’s work on paper. Picasso’s hand displays many abstract concepts and his unique take on the human shape. Dalí and Picasso lived and created artwork in the same era. The two were friends yet also had a unique relationship of mutual inspiration and rivalry. They were both remembered for breaking traditions and promoting surrealism in the art world.
According to one quote from Dalí, “The one thing the world will never have enough of is the outrageous.” There are many facts about the lives of the two artists, as well as descriptions of the friendship between them, presented around the exhibit. Whether you’re new to art or a seasoned connoisseur, this gallery is free and worth the travel.
