==JAPAN: KM== [Art]

Had I been impressed by one picture like this? This picture causes various feelings, such as sadness and hate in me. The picture is called "Guernica" and painted by Picasso. Guernica is the name of a small village in Spain, and it was bombed by the German army during World War II in 1937. This bombing was due to the request of the dictator Franco of Spain. The village changed into the annihilation state in an instant. Picasso from Spain heard this fact and felt sad severely. Then, he painted his anger and sadness on the canvas.
"Guernica" was said to be the picture that changed the art of the twentieth century those days. Picasso completed "Guernica" in only about 20 days. However, it is created so minutely that we cannot imagine that this picture was painted in such a short period. The big feature of "Guernica" is to be painted by black and white. The picture of monotone was very unusual at that time. Black is like darkness. White is sharp. And a complex gray gives the picture the depth and the shadow. Picasso painted a crying mother, a horse, etc. abstractly. The composition, the color, and the grandeur enchant people. I was fascinated with the strength of the impression in a twinkle.
When I was a junior high school student, I saw this picture for the first time. In order to appeal against the misery of war, a play dealing with Guernica was to be carried out. I played a girl whose house was burnt, and her mother was buried in debris and pebbles to protect her. However, I did not understand how to perform the girl. How should I appeal against the cruelty of war although I did not know its cruelty? Then I decided to investigate about Guernica. I collected books on Guernica first. I couldn't understand the misery of the war with the books though I understood the historical fact. Then, I saw "Guernica". I couldn't forget my feelings at that time. What happened to me? I did not know the war, so I cannot have understood the misery of the war. But I terribly understood the cruelty of the war as soon as having seen this picture.
I want to introduce an interesting episode here. When Picasso defected to the United States, Guernica was kept in the New York Museum of Modern Art. However, the United States had asked Picasso to return Guernica to Spain. The U.S. army attacked disarmed people in the Vietnam War. For this reason, American citizens thought they didn't have the right to have this picture, and urged Picasso to remove Guernica from America. However, Picasso never answered this request. After all, Guernica has been kept by the United States for 42 years. It is said that it was even opened to Congress for only one picture.
I think that many pictures have curious power. The power enchants a lot of people. The power influences those who are looking at the picture impressively. The power is not in words. Lies and compliments conceal the mind of truth in words. Of course, words don't get through if the languages are different. However, the pictures have no border. The painter draws his or her authentic desire on a white canvas. People are looking at the thought of the painter through the picture. When people identify themselves with the desire, they will be strongly attracted by the picture.
Have you seen "Guernica"? If you have not seen this picture, I surely want you to see it. And I want you to think about how "Guernica" is appealing. Picasso said, "I love peace and resist war." "Guernica" appeals to people all over the world about these words of Picasso. Many countries are still at war. Like the girl in the play, many people are deprived of their houses and families. "Guernica" has appealed against the misery of war calmly and intensely. How long will "Guernica" claim the cruelty of war? How long will "Guernica" wait until the day when no one knows the cruelty of war? I hope the day will come as soon as possible.

"Getting It Together I enjoyed writing this essay. I love art, particularly Picasso's pictures. The chance to write this essay was the Iraq war. I was mortified that I was not able to do anything except seeing this war on television and in the newspaper. A lot of countries are at war now. Sadness calls sadness, and hatred calls hatred. Will the day when war is lost come to the world? I love peace and resist war. How about you?