Latest news with #Guernica
Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Times
Picasso or Goya: who created Spain's most important painting?
The Regency artist Sir Thomas Lawrence deemed Velázquez's Las Meninas to represent 'the true philosophy of the art' of painting. A spirited public debate about who created the most important Spanish painting, however, has pitted Goya against Picasso, contrasting two visions of the country. The debate started when Arturo Pérez-Reverte, the combative bestselling novelist, challenged the assertion made by Miguel Ángel Cajigal, an art critic, that Picasso's Guernica was Spain's most significant work. Cajigal, who made the declaration during a radio broadcast, supports the broadly-held consensus that Picasso's 1937 work, which depicts the bombing of the Basque town of Guernica during the Spanish civil war, is the most internationally acclaimed owing to its status as the world's most powerful anti-war painting. But Perez-Reverte, a former war correspondent and creator of the swashbuckling Captain Alatriste series of novels, strongly disagreed, stating on social media that the claim 'had left me in shock'. He then posted an image of Goya's Duel with Cudgels, an 1820s work in which two men, up to their knees in mud, club each other. 'Picasso painted Guernica, but Goya painted our soul,' he wrote, prompting a long riposte from Cajigal and thousands of comments from the public, as well as media headlines about the ensuing public debate about national art. The novelist's characterisation of Duel with Cudgels echoes the description of it as 'symbolically embodying the irrationality of fratricidal violence' by Madrid's Prado Museum, where it is housed. The work has been judged as presaging the civil war of 1936 to 1939 and in recent years it has been used as an allegory for Spain's deeply polarised politics, which appears increasingly coarse and senseless. The museum interprets it as an allegory of Spain's internal conflict during the restoration under Ferdinand VII, a vivid portrayal of internal divisions. The mural paintings were among those that decorated the house known as Quinta del Sordo, where Goya lived and have come to be known as the Black Paintings, in part because of their sombre subject matter. X-rays have shown that the two fighters were not originally sunk into the ground up to their knees but stood on a grassy meadow. 'It's Spanish to the hilt,' stated Pérez-Reverte. Some Spaniards agreed with him and many argued for works by Velázquez, Sorolla and El Greco. But others backed Cajigal, with one commenting: 'It's amazing for its technique, the symbolism of the figures and colour as well as for what it represents as a story. No one is going to deny that.' The art critic pointed out that the image of Guernica adorns the UN headquarters in New York and its pre-eminent importance is underscored by numerous prestigious scholars. 'I have been teaching Spanish art classes to students from the United States for almost 20 years,' he said. 'The only painting they always know is Guernica. And then, Goya and El Greco.' Picasso's masterpiece, inspired by the devastating 1937 air raid by Nazi Germany's Condor Legion on Guernica at the behest of General Franco, was first shown at the world fair in Paris the same year. Picasso had been commissioned by the Republican government to produce a work to boost awareness of the war and raise funds. • Guernica to be declared first 'place of memory' under Spanish Civil War legislation When the Second World War broke out he decided that the painting should remain in New York for safekeeping. In 1958 he extended the loan for an indefinite period, until such time as democracy had been restored in Spain. It arrived home in 1981. The debate about which painting best defines Spain has divided broadly into those that view Guernica as the painting of a modern democratic Spain that once lived under dictatorship, and those that deem Goya's work to be no less tragic, a self‑portrait of country mired in its own history. A social media user commented: 'Guernica speaks to the world; but Goya shows what Spain inflicts on itself.'
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Yahoo
I quit my job, divorced my husband, and moved to Italy to retire. I miss my kids, but I'm happier and healthier here.
Cindy Sheahan quit her job, divorced, and began traveling abroad for a bigger, fuller life. She's visited more than 50 countries, but one city stole her heart: Palermo, on the island of Sicily. Sheahan told BI that's happier, healthier, and saving more money in Italy. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Cindy Sheahan, 64, who retired from real estate in 2017 and left Colorado to travel abroad. In 2025, Sheahan settled in Palermo, Italy. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity. In 2017, I was at a crossroads. A lot of people I knew were dying, and I started thinking: You really don't know how many days you get or what's promised to you. I figured I'd start traveling abroad. My company was kind enough to let me take a sabbatical while I sorted out my world. It turned out to be a mistake for them, because I decided I wasn't coming back. Once I stepped out the door and visited places I had only dreamed of and ate food I had only read about, it was ridiculous to think I was going to go back to my "normal life." I wasn't getting any younger. I figured I could always work again if I wanted to. But right now? I wanted to climb a waterfall in Cambodia and ride a motorbike in Vietnam. So I quit my job, retired, and divorced my husband. We had 30 years together, raised our amazing kids — but to sum it up, he had no curiosity. I didn't want just to walk the dog, play pickleball, and tend a garden. I wanted a bigger life. I thought living abroad would be temporary, but I was wrong. After the divorce, I moved into a small apartment in Colorado with a monthly rent of $1,700. I still have it and rent it out to traveling nurses abroad. In the beginning, I thought I'd travel the majority of the year, come back to the States, and live a "normal" life there for one month a year. For some time, I did that. I've visited nearly 50 countries, including Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Madagascar, Turkey, Cyprus, and the more popular spots, like France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Greece. After being a mom to four kids, it's amazing to travel alone. Eating, sleeping, and reading when you want to is nice. You can go back to the same restaurant twice or visit a museum. You have no one to apologize to or explain yourself to. I remember sitting on a bench in front of Picasso's famous painting Guernica in the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid. Who knew I could sit and look at it for half an hour without anyone saying, "Oh my God, can we go? Are you done?" It was a sense of freedom that was incredible. The US was no longer for me After 7 years of full-time backpack and hostel traveling, I was ready to set up a home base. I wanted to put my toothbrush on my own sink and put my clothes on a hanger somewhere. I knew I didn't want to live in the US anymore. Not only did I feel empowered abroad, but I also felt that the US no longer aligned with my values. I wasn't into the US's overconsumption. With the divisive political climate and the ridiculous gun culture, there was no way in hell I'd live there after experiencing a more peaceful life in so many other countries. Palermo, Italy has my heart In 2022, moved to Portugal on a retirement residency visa. After about 11 months, I realized I could apply for Italian citizenship through ancestry, and the process would be faster in Italy than in the US. That was a game changer. For some time, I explored different parts of Italy, trying to determine where I wanted to live. I lived in a small medieval village in Umbria, and visited Bologna, Milan, Torino, Rome, and Florence. Then I went to Palermo, a city on the island of Sicily, and it hit me: I had found my soul city. Palermo is a feast for the senses. There's laughter, joy, noise — it's completely lovely. I moved to the city in October 2024. I didn't want to live in the suburbs — though living in the outer areas will always be less expensive and, in some ways, more authentic. So, I chose to live in the city center. I live in an area where I can walk for about 15 minutes and be at a cathedral, the gardens, or in the neighborhoods where all the restaurants, markets, and festivals happen. Palermo has a vast and active expat community. I feel safe in my neighborhood. I have a good friend who lives by the local train station, about a 30-minute walk from my apartment. I walk back from her house all the time late at midnight, and there's no stress — I'm not walking with my keys in my hand. My apartment is about 1,100 square feet, and I pay around $800 monthly plus a $100 condominium fee. It came completely furnished and is gorgeous. I have three sets of French doors that open onto three separate balconies. The floors are terrazzo with border patterns, and there are medallions on the 12-foot high ceiling. My bathroom is spacious, which is hard to find in Italy, where showers are often the size of a phone booth. The apartment building dates back to the early 1930s. Although it is old, compared to some other buildings in Italy, it feels relatively new. Life is more affordable in Italy I couldn't afford my lifestyle if I moved back to the US. I receive $1,500 a month in Social Security. It's not enough to cover rent in Denver, but abroad, it easily covers my housing and much more. Daily expenses are affordable in Palermo. I love that I can go to the grocery store and not break the bank. You can buy tomatoes, eggplants, zucchini, sun-dried tomatoes, and everything else for a song. Healthcare is also much more affordable in Italy. In 2024, while traveling in Tunisia, I broke my foot. When I returned to Italy, I had two sets of X-rays and two appointments with an orthopedic specialist, and the total cost was less than $150. At the time, I wasn't even on the national healthcare system. Now that I'm an Italian citizen, I'm fully covered, which means there's no charge for general care. If I need to see a specialist, like a dermatologist, I might pay around $40. I am happier in Italy than I'd ever be in the US Living in Italy, I make a new discovery every day. That sense of wonder and joy has become a regular part of my life. I feel like I outgrew a lot of people and places in the US. Don't get me wrong, I desperately miss my friends and family, especially my kids. But they're all able to travel, and they'd much rather visit me somewhere fun than grab a drink at a bar in Denver. My quality of life has improved in Italy. I walk almost everywhere, so my blood pressure, weight, and cholesterol are in better condition. I eat better, have made new friends, cut down on expenses, and most importantly, I'm happy. Read the original article on Business Insider Solve the daily Crossword
Business Insider
24-07-2025
- Business Insider
I quit my job, divorced my husband, and moved to Italy to retire. I miss my kids, but I'm happier and healthier here.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Cindy Sheahan, 64, who retired from real estate in 2017 and left Colorado to travel abroad. In 2025, Sheahan settled in Palermo, Italy. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity. In 2017, I was at a crossroads. A lot of people I knew were dying, and I started thinking: You really don't know how many days you get or what's promised to you. I figured I'd start traveling abroad. My company was kind enough to let me take a sabbatical while I sorted out my world. It turned out to be a mistake for them, because I decided I wasn't coming back. Once I stepped out the door and visited places I had only dreamed of and ate food I had only read about, it was ridiculous to think I was going to go back to my "normal life." I wasn't getting any younger. I figured I could always work again if I wanted to. But right now? I wanted to climb a waterfall in Cambodia and ride a motorbike in Vietnam. So I quit my job, retired, and divorced my husband. We had 30 years together, raised our amazing kids — but to sum it up, he had no curiosity. I didn't want just to walk the dog, play pickleball, and tend a garden. I wanted a bigger life. I thought living abroad would be temporary, but I was wrong. After the divorce, I moved into a small apartment in Colorado with a monthly rent of $1,700. I still have it and rent it out to traveling nurses abroad. In the beginning, I thought I'd travel the majority of the year, come back to the States, and live a "normal" life there for one month a year. For some time, I did that. I've visited nearly 50 countries, including Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Madagascar, Turkey, Cyprus, and the more popular spots, like France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Greece. After being a mom to four kids, it's amazing to travel alone. Eating, sleeping, and reading when you want to is nice. You can go back to the same restaurant twice or visit a museum. You have no one to apologize to or explain yourself to. I remember sitting on a bench in front of Picasso's famous painting Guernica in the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid. Who knew I could sit and look at it for half an hour without anyone saying, "Oh my God, can we go? Are you done?" It was a sense of freedom that was incredible. The US was no longer for me After 7 years of full-time backpack and hostel traveling, I was ready to set up a home base. I wanted to put my toothbrush on my own sink and put my clothes on a hanger somewhere. I knew I didn't want to live in the US anymore. Not only did I feel empowered abroad, but I also felt that the US no longer aligned with my values. I wasn't into the US's overconsumption. With the divisive political climate and the ridiculous gun culture, there was no way in hell I'd live there after experiencing a more peaceful life in so many other countries. Palermo, Italy has my heart In 2022, moved to Portugal on a retirement residency visa. After about 11 months, I realized I could apply for Italian citizenship through ancestry, and the process would be faster in Italy than in the US. That was a game changer. For some time, I explored different parts of Italy, trying to determine where I wanted to live. I lived in a small medieval village in Umbria, and visited Bologna, Milan, Torino, Rome, and Florence. Then I went to Palermo, a city on the island of Sicily, and it hit me: I had found my soul city. Palermo is a feast for the senses. There's laughter, joy, noise — it's completely lovely. I moved to the city in October 2024. I didn't want to live in the suburbs — though living in the outer areas will always be less expensive and, in some ways, more authentic. So, I chose to live in the city center. I live in an area where I can walk for about 15 minutes and be at a cathedral, the gardens, or in the neighborhoods where all the restaurants, markets, and festivals happen. Palermo has a vast and active expat community. I feel safe in my neighborhood. I have a good friend who lives by the local train station, about a 30-minute walk from my apartment. I walk back from her house all the time late at midnight, and there's no stress — I'm not walking with my keys in my hand. My apartment is about 1,100 square feet, and I pay around $800 monthly plus a $100 condominium fee. It came completely furnished and is gorgeous. I have three sets of French doors that open onto three separate balconies. The floors are terrazzo with border patterns, and there are medallions on the 12-foot high ceiling. My bathroom is spacious, which is hard to find in Italy, where showers are often the size of a phone booth. The apartment building dates back to the early 1930s. Although it is old, compared to some other buildings in Italy, it feels relatively new. Life is more affordable in Italy I couldn't afford my lifestyle if I moved back to the US. I receive $1,500 a month in Social Security. It's not enough to cover rent in Denver, but abroad, it easily covers my housing and much more. Daily expenses are affordable in Palermo. I love that I can go to the grocery store and not break the bank. You can buy tomatoes, eggplants, zucchini, sun-dried tomatoes, and everything else for a song. Healthcare is also much more affordable in Italy. In 2024, while traveling in Tunisia, I broke my foot. When I returned to Italy, I had two sets of X-rays and two appointments with an orthopedic specialist, and the total cost was less than $150. At the time, I wasn't even on the national healthcare system. Now that I'm an Italian citizen, I'm fully covered, which means there's no charge for general care. If I need to see a specialist, like a dermatologist, I might pay around $40. I am happier in Italy than I'd ever be in the US Living in Italy, I make a new discovery every day. That sense of wonder and joy has become a regular part of my life. I feel like I outgrew a lot of people and places in the US. Don't get me wrong, I desperately miss my friends and family, especially my kids. But they're all able to travel, and they'd much rather visit me somewhere fun than grab a drink at a bar in Denver. My quality of life has improved in Italy. I walk almost everywhere, so my blood pressure, weight, and cholesterol are in better condition. I eat better, have made new friends, cut down on expenses, and most importantly, I'm happy.
Sydney Morning Herald
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Comparisons are odious, but all art is not created equal
I agree with Jacqueline Maley in principle that works of art should neither be timid in expression nor resile from being contemporaneous (' We may have just failed the only worthwhile test of social cohesion ', July 6). I hesitate to agree on what she regards as an art work as opposed to an assembly of objects or so-called tailored video installations being categorised as art, however much they may reflect the present day and/or the availability of technology for expression. Comparing Picasso's Guernica with anything the esteemed subjects of her article have produced is not only unfair to them and to the public, but especially to Picasso. However, if history is any guide, works such as Guernica, Leonardo's Mona Lisa, Michelangelo's David or Sistine chapel, offer timelessness, radiance, movement, emotional stimulation, thus engendering meaning and appreciation for all peoples for all time and for every epoch in history. Frederick Jansohn, Rose Bay I agree with Jacqueline Maley that our ability to support freedom of expression and diversity of thought are worthwhile tests of social cohesion. But I disagree that it is the only worthwhile test. The real test is our ability to agree on the limits of free speech, especially its transition into calls for violence, and enact and enforce sensible legislation in this regard at the moment when it urgently matters, which is right now. Raymond Schwartz, Bellevue Hill Data mine on the line The rail unions have negotiated two days in which Opal fare meters will be turned off ('Free train days follow union wage deal', July 6). We will not now how many people used public transport on those days. However, it would be better if the unions negotiated 'zero fare' days on which the meters operated so we could see the effect of reducing fares across the many different socioeconomic communities in NSW. For people interested in city building, this is a major data opportunity. Peter Egan, Mosman Church scandals It's pretty clear that society has had more than a gutful of child abuse (' Sermon after child abuse conviction shocks victims ', July 6). It especially hates a cover-up, and the church's reputation there is woeful. Some of us don't believe in your god and don't care if you wear a frock, a cross or whatever. We don't hear your 'Do unto others' speeches when your house is hiding evil. Ted Bush, North Epping The flip side to priest Alexis Rosentool's warning to his followers is the Bible's stern 'Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture' (Jeremiah 23:1). Steve Ngeow, Chatswood Loneliness and health Loneliness and social isolation aren't new, but little has been done to address them. The fact that some children and young adults now rely on AI bots for friendship is deeply disturbing (Letters, July 6). It's well known that social isolation and loneliness are deleterious to physical and mental health. These factors have been linked to suicide, dementia, premature death and domestic violence. The NSW government continues to abdicate its responsibility regarding mental health. Without adequate intervention, the problem will grow, and the financial burden will increase. Graham Lum, North Rocks
Time of India
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
How Willy Chavarria turned his Paris runway show into a protest against migrant detention
Source: X/@Fashionography Art has always found ways to quietly yet assertively challenge authority and express dissent. From Picasso's Guernica confronting the horrors of war, to Oskar Rabin and the Bulldozer Exhibition defying Soviet censorship, creative expression has long served as a powerful response to injustice. On Friday, that spirit of protest lived on — not in a gallery or street mural, but on the red-carpeted runway of the Spring/Summer 2026 show at Paris Fashion Week. Willy Chavarria, the Mexican-American designer known for infusing activism into fashion, opened his show with a moment that was less about spectacle and more about reckoning. As reported by Vogue , 35 men walked solemnly down the runway in white T-shirts and shorts designed in collaboration with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), then knelt with heads bowed — a deliberate reference to the posture forced upon inmates at El Salvador's mega-prison and migrants held in U.S. detention. The runway's silence was deafening. Each model — still, kneeling, expressionless — became a living sculpture of the voiceless. The garments, stark in their simplicity, held more than fabric; they carried a message. Inside the label of each T-shirt read a striking line: 'THE ACLU DARES TO CREATE A MORE PERFECT UNION – BEYOND ONE PERSON, PARTY, OR SIDE.' This wasn't just fashion — it was a public reckoning. Chavarria, whose past collections have explored themes of masculinity, immigration, and identity, used this show to directly comment on the systemic criminalization of migrants. The opening tableau drew direct parallels to the Salvadoran mega-prisons, where thousands are incarcerated under mass arrests with little due process. Source: Getty Images Speaking to Vogue , Chavarria tied the performance to real-time horrors: 'Today and as of yesterday, ICE is attacking the town of Huron. There are tanks rolling through the streets, and there are armed militia surrounding homes. So it's a state of horror,' he said. He added that the opening scene was intended 'to contrast against the beauty of the people that are actually being kidnapped and shipped away, broken away from their families. The chaos that we're seeing right now.' Source: X Even the show's invitation carried the weight of resistance. Guests received a replica of a legal summons, similar in design to the documents many migrants receive from U.S. immigration authorities. But Chavarria's version had a quiet defiance etched into it: the top read 'NOTICE OF RIGHT TO EXIST' — a radical, humanizing declaration in a world where migration is too often treated as a crime. The invitation also featured a mock Social Security card, replacing government-issued numbers with the attendee's seat assignment. Willy Chavarria has long been known for blurring the line between politics and fashion, but this time, the message was not embedded subtly in form or tailoring — it was stark, spoken aloud, unmissable. In a time when spectacle often overshadows sincerity, he used the runway to restore purpose.
