“Les Demoiselles d’Avignon” by Pablo Picasso | Style Imitating Art

March 14, 2022 / 14 Comments

It is my turn again to choose the artwork for the next Style Imitating Art challenge. Thank you so much to everyone who participated with my first one, “Sunday Morning” by Norman Rockwell! I felt all the love coming my way and everyone did such a magnificent job.

About Style Imitating Art

Style Imitating Art is hosted by Salazar of 14 Shades of Grey, Terri of Meadow Tree Style, and Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge. Style Imitating Art challenges us to draw style inspiration from pieces of art. Every other Monday, one of the hosts, acting as presenter, selects an inspiration image that they will each post on their blogs. The following Monday, each host shares her art inspired outfit. Participants are invited to submit their art inspired outfits to the presenter by 10:00 p.m. EST on the Tuesday following the hosts’ art inspired outfit posts. The following day, Wednesday, the presenter will share all of the submissions on her blog.

You don’t have to be a blogger to join either! In fact, you don’t even have to join but you can still use the art to inspire an outfit just for the sake of trying something different. If you want to share your inspired outfit, we invite you do so on Instagram or any other social media platform that you prefer. Just be sure to tag Salazar, Terri, and Shelbee or use #TeamLOTSStyle and #StyleImitatingArt so the hosts know you have joined. Go have some fun in your closets and join the SIA challenge next week!

This Week’s Presenter

It is me! With another very sentimental piece…keep reading to learn why this painting has special meaning to me.

The Artwork
Les Demoiselles d’Avignon by Pablo Picasso
A Little About the Art & Why I Chose It

Les Demoiselles d’Avignon by Pablo Picasso is recognized as the very first Cubist painting and is on permanent display at the MoMA as one its most celebrated pieces. This article offers a beautifully detailed history of the painting. 

Image Source
Pablo Picasso, detail figure lower right and detail figure upper right, Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, 1907

Image Source

When I was a Philosophy major as an undergrad, I was brainstorming topics for my honors thesis and with the help of a very strange professor who allowed me to tap into my darker interests, the chosen topic was voyeurism. I analyzed three works of art as I discussed the idea of watching and being watched and why it appeals to some and not others.

The works that I comparatively analyzed were Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, with my focus on the way the prostitutes stare so resolutely back at the viewer as if to challenge and shame you for looking; Cindy Sherman’s Untitled Film Stills, which is a series of self-portrait photographs representing the various roles that women were expected to play in Hollywood where everyone is always watching; and Jacques Derrida‘s The Post Card, which explores voyeurism from the perspective of love letters sent through the mail on postcards where anyone can read these most intimate messages.

I wish I still had that thesis paper. It was a monster of a thing to write and I got an A on it. But I honestly can’t remember anything else about the content of the thing. During the research process, however, I came to know these three works very intimately and they have remained very sentimental to me ever since.

Now when it comes to styling an outfit inspired by this work, I have no idea what I am going to do. I am drawn to the softer shades of color in contrast with the harsher black and white lines. The colors seem to create a balance of feminine and masculine in the same way the image itself does. The shades of pink and blue are soothing despite the rigid angles of the Cubist style and calming in contrast to the controversial nature of the image. 

I hope the art and style muses shine upon me in my closet this week! If you want to be featured with your art inspired outfit in my gallery post on Wednesday, March 23, 2022, be sure to submit your photos to me at shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com by 10:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday, March 22, 2022. 

Happy creative styling! 

Keeping it artsy on the edge, 

Shelbee

Joining these Fabulous Link Parties.

I am a midlife woman, wife, and stay-at-home mother of 2 boys and 2 cats. I have a passion for helping other women feel fabulous in the midst of this crazy, beautiful life.

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