Picasso through the Eyes of Paul Smith - National Art Center, Tokyo
A few days after seeing this show in Roppongi I went to a suburban shopping centre where these was a Paul Smith store. Actually at that time I did not go inside the store. The Picasso show mainly interesting for the great paintings but also for the wall decoration, as you will see. Smith using striking colours to offset works that are mostly usually seen on white walls. These colours are quite amazing when seen along with works of such force and sophistication. Smith is taking those qualities and sort of spreading them all over the room, like some sort of magic. Not everyone is going to accept this sort of decor, it has to be admitted. Purists will have 1000 reasons it does not work. But in fact I enjoyed it. However this kind of setting does serve to emphasise how original and enduring Picasso's works are. Not everyone will like the man he was. That is their right. But he really did great things with paint.