Why is this painting so shocking? - Iseult Gillespie

Prevodilac: Ivana Krivokuća Lektor: Tijana Mihajlović

On April 26th, 1937,

Dana 26. aprila 1937. godine,

Fascist forces bombed the Basque village of Guernica in Northern Spain.

fašističke snage su bombardovale baskijsko selo Gernika u severnoj Španiji.

It was one of the worst civilian casualties of the Spanish Civil War,

Bio je to jedan od najgorih slučajeva civilnih žrtava Španskog građanskog rata

waged between the democratic republic and General Franco’s fascist contingent.

vođenog između demokratske republike i fašističkog kontingenta generala Franka.

For Pablo Picasso, the tragedy sparked a frenzied period of work

Kod Pabla Pikasa je ova tragedija podstakla mahnit period rada

in which he produced a massive anti-war mural,

tokom kojeg je stvorio ogromni antiratni mural,

aptly titled "Guernica."

prigodno nazvan „Gernika“.

The painting is a powerful work of historical documentation

Slika predstavlja moćno delo istorijske dokumentacije

and political protest.

i političkog protesta.

But while Picasso’s artistic motivations are clear,

Ali, mada su jasni Pikasovi umetnički motivi,

the symbolism of the painting can be as confusing and chaotic as war itself.

simbolika slike može biti zbunjujuća i haotična kao i sam rat.

How can we make sense of this overwhelming image,

Kako možemo shvatiti ovu nadmoćnu sliku

and what exactly makes it a masterpiece of anti-war art?

i šta je tačno čini remek-delom antiratne umetnosti?

The painting’s monumental canvas is disorienting from the start,

Monumentalno platno slike dezorijentiše od samog početka,

rendered in the abstracted Cubist style Picasso pioneered.

prikazano u apstraktnom kubističkom stilu, čiji je začetnik bio Pikaso.

Cubism deliberately emphasized the two-dimensionality of the canvas

Kubizam je namerno naglašavao dvodimenzionalnost platna

by flattening the objects being painted.

tako što se naslikani predmeti spljošte.

This afforded viewers multiple

To gledaocima pruža višestruke

and often impossible perspectives on the same object;

i često nemoguće perspektive gledanja istog predmeta,

a technique considered shocking even in Picasso’s domestic scenes.

što je tehnika koju su smatrali šokantnom čak i na Pikasovim domaćim prikazima.

But in this context,

Ali u ovom kontekstu,

the style offers a profoundly overwhelming view

stil nudi duboko poražavajući pogled

of violence, destruction, and casualties.

na nasilje, uništenja i žrtve.

Multiple perspectives only compound the horror on display–

Višestruke perspektive samo doprinose hororu na prikazu

sending the eyes hurtling around the frame in a futile hunt for peace.

tako što vuku pogled unaokolo u uzaludnoj potrazi za mirom.

On the far left, a woman holding her dead child releases a scream;

Na krajnjoj levoj strani vrišti žena koja drži svoje mrtvo dete;

her eyes sliding down her face in the shape of tears

oči joj klize niz lice u obliku suza,

and her head bending back unnaturally to echo her baby’s.

a glava joj je neprirodno savijena unazad da bi oponašala bebinu glavu.

There is the statue of a soldier present below,

Ispod se nalazi statua vojnika,

but he is unable to defend the woman and child.

ali on nije u stanju da brani ženu i dete.

Instead his broken body lies in pieces,

Njegovo slomljeno telo umesto toga leži u delovima,

his arm clutching a splintered sword in a signal of utmost defeat.

a ruka mu čvrsto drži polomljeni mač kao znak krajnjeg poraza.

The tip of his sword meets a woman’s foot as she attempts to flee the devastation.

Vrh mača nailazi na stopalo žene koja pokušava da pobegne od razaranja.

But her other leg appears rooted to the spot,

Ali njena druga noga izgleda ukopano u mestu,

locked in the corner of the canvas even as she stretches to move it.

zakovano u uglu platna, čak i dok se proteže da bi je pomerila.

Another victim appears behind this slouching figure.

Još jedna žrtva se pojavljuje iza te trome figure.

Falling helplessly as flames lick around her,

Bespomoćno pada dok plamen palaca oko nje,

she too is caught in her own hopeless scene.

takođe zarobljena u svojoj beznadežnoj sceni.

Each of these figures bordering the painting are horribly trapped,

Svaka od ovih figura na ivicama slike je užasno zatočena,

giving the work an acute sense of claustrophobia.

što delu daje snažan osećaj klaustrofobije.

And where you might expect the canvas’ massive size to counteract this feeling,

Mada biste očekivali da se tom osećanju suprotstavi ogromna veličina platna,

its scale only highlights the nearly life-sized atrocities on display.

ona samo naglašava prikazane užase u skoro prirodnoj veličini.

Some possible relief comes from a lamp

Moguće olakšanje dolazi od lampe

held tightly by a ghostly woman reaching out her window.

koju čvrsto drži sablasna žena dok poseže rukom kroz prozor.

But is her lantern’s hopeful glow truly lighting the scene?

Ali, da li sjaj njenog fenjera koji daje nadu zaista osvetljava scenu?

Or is it the jagged lightbulb–

Ili šiljasta sijalica -

thought to represent the technologies of modern warfare–

za koju se smatra da predstavlja tehnologije modernog ratovanja -

which illuminates her view of the chaos below?

osvetljava njen pogled na haos ispod?

From the coffin-like confines of her window,

Iz okvira njenog prozora nalik na kovčeg,

her arm guides the viewer back into the fray,

njena ruka vodi gledaoca nazad u okršaj,

to perhaps the most controversial symbols of all–

do možda najkontroverznijih od svih simbola -

two ghostly animals caught in the destruction.

dve sablasne životinje zahvaćene uništenjem.

Does the screaming horse embody the threat of Franco’s military nationalism;

Da li konj koji vrišti otelotvoruje pretnju Frankovog vojnog nacionalizma

or does the spike running through its body convey its victimhood?

ili šiljak koji mu prolazi kroz telo predstavlja požrtvovanje?

Does the white bull represent Spain,

Da li beli bik predstavlja Španiju,

the country of matadors and a common theme in Picasso’s work–

zemlju matadora i čestu temu u Pikasovim delima,

or does it stand for the brutality of war?

ili predstavlja brutalnost rata?

In this scene of strife, these animals raise more questions than answers.

U sceni sukoba, ove životinje pokreću više pitanja nego odgovora.

And additional elements hidden throughout the frame

Dodatni elementi skriveni kroz okvir

offer even more secrets for close observers.

pružaju još više tajni za one koji bliže osmotre.

At the top of the canvas flashes a bird desperate to escape the carnage.

Na vrhu platna juri ptica koja očajnički želi da pobegne od pokolja.

And the abundance of animals on display may hint at the bombing’s date–

A obilje životinja koje su prikazane može nagovestiti datum bombardovanja -

a market day which flooded the streets

pijačni dan na koji su ulice bile prepune

with villagers, animals, and other potential causalities.

seljaka, životinja i drugih potencijalnih žrtava.

Like the bombing of Guernica itself,

Kao i samo bombardovanje Gernike,

Picasso’s painting is dense with destruction.

Pikasova slika je puna uništenja.

But hidden beneath this supposed chaos, are carefully crafted scenes and symbols,

Ali ispod ovog tobožnjeg haosa su skrivene pažljivo izrađene scene i simboli

carrying out the painting’s multifaceted attack on fascism.

kojima slika vrši višestruki napad na fašizam.

Decades after its creation,

Nekoliko decenija nakon što je nastala,

"Guernica" retains its power to shock viewers and ignite debate,

„Gernika“ i dalje ima moć da šokira posmatrače i podstakne rasprave,

and is often referenced at anti-war gatherings around the world.

i često se pominje na antiratnim okupljanjima širom sveta.

Hundreds of viewers have grappled with its harsh imagery, shattering symbolism

Stotine gledalaca se hvatalo u koštac sa njenim neprijatnim slikama,

rušilačkom simbolikom i složenim političkim porukama.

and complex political messaging.

But even without a close understanding of it’s complicated subtext,

Ali čak i bez bližeg razumevanja složenog podteksta,

Picasso’s work remains a searing reminder of the true casualties of violence.

Pikasov rad ostaje gorak podsetnik na prave žrtve nasilja.