Glass of its own

Disu Dang

If you are a fan of Pablo Picasso, don't miss the chance to see six of his best works showing at Landmark, interpreted on glass.

Serving as a preview to Le French May's official Picasso exhibition at the University of Hong Kong, opening on May 18, the show presents six of his most representative works in gemmail.

Gemmail is a unique stained glass technique invented in the early 20th century by French painter Jean Crotti.

"You can say it was the NFT of that time," said cocurator Laure Raibaut.

The technique involves using thin layers of glass, which are cut into different shapes and then assembled together with lead strips.

"It's a very complex technique, but it can produce a remarkably beautiful multiple-layered effect," said Sherry Wong, chairperson of the Hongkong Land Art Committee.

During the 1950s, the workshops of Roger Malherbe-Navarre composed the gemmail form of Picasso's A Roaster.

When they showed the result to the artist, he was so impressed by the result that he declared: "A new art is born."

Afterward, Picasso continued to collaborate with the workshop and turned 35 of his works into gemmaux, 23 of which will be on show in the official exhibition this month.

"The six works at Landmark are some of Picasso's most important works," said Wong. "They are almost like landmarks that showcase his advances in art creation."

Complementing the six gemmaux works in the hallway are pictures of the originals on the other side of the wall.

Of the six, Wong's personal favorite is Buste de Femme. "It's just so Picasso. It encapsulates the elements in his iconic Les Demoiselles d'Avignon painting."

Raibaut said: "It's inspired by African arts and it's a mix of different art styles that only Picasso managed to achieve."

Another important artwork is Femme assise/Femme dans un fauteuil d'osier - the first gemmail work Picasso signed.

It features the artist's lover, Dora Maar, who is also an artist. One focus of the show is the women in his life - such as Portrait of Marie-Therese Walter, mother of his first daughter.

"We wanted to provide some insights into his life," said Wong, "to show the humanness behind the artist."

This exhibition also marks the first time Landmark is showing artworks in the mall. "The idea is art shouldn't be something that you pay to see in a museum. We want it to be accessible to everyone," said Wong.

"It's not only the shoppers. I've seen people pausing on their way to work and even delivery persons passing by."

Pablo Picasso: Paintings in Glass ends on Monday.