Guernica Remastered
Guernica Remastered positions Picasso’s art as an inspiration for contemporary artists. By taking Picasso’s 1937 work Guernica — a symbol of antiwar sentiment and political action — as their starting point, the artists in the exhibition produce works that emulate Picasso’s composition while speaking to present-day concerns. These recreations provide a powerful example of Picasso’s lingering impact on contemporary art, and exemplify how Guernica is called upon as a model for activist, political art. In our image-saturated world, artists call upon Guernica not as a singular masterpiece but as a traveling, oft-reproduced and effective political icon. They use it to represent that which often cannot be sufficiently expressed: the cruelty of war and unjust human suffering. The exhibition features works by contemporary artists Adad Hannah, Goshka Macuga, Art & Language and Robert Longo among others, alongside documentation of Guernica’s use as a political icon.
Curatorial Team:
Dr. Alma Mikulinsky, guest curator with support from Sandra Fraser, Curator (Collections)
View of the installation Guernica Remastered, 2021. Courtesy of Remai Modern, Saskatoon. Photo: Carey Shaw.