Art

One of the most celebrated work of Pablo Picasso, Guernica was painted with the artists experiences in the 1930s. The era of 1930 is surrounded by the different political turmoil of that time. In this work of Picasso, Guernica, art no longer became an ornamental to peoples life style but rather an instrument of war that can bring and manifest changes. The Guernica is inspired primarily by the atrocities perpetrated by Franco in the Spanish citizens. It also shows the destruction of a Basque village bombarded by Nazi planes which left the place burning for three days with over a thousand of people dead. (Public Broadcasting Service Lazzari  Schleiser 296)

Though the painting can be as dynamic depending on the viewer, some of its primary elements and characters are universal and specific. In Guernica, the bull represented the fascist Spain which was meant to suffer slow and inevitable death. The gored and dying horse represented the Spanish republic. It also shows a mutilated hand holding a sword which was considered to represent the resistance to this atrocities by the people in power.  The painting also showed numerous people who witness this kind of doom and corruption that reached Spain. (Public Broadcasting Service Lazzari  Schleiser 296)

The image below (See Appendix 1) is courtesy of the cover of the Time Magazine, March 1991 Issue. It shows an American soldier holding an anti-tank gun in the dessert of Kuwait. This is in relation to the Americas defensive stance when  Iraq invaded the smaller country of Kuwait in the early 1990s. Here, Iraqi forces lead by Saddam Hussein aimed to destroy Kuwait completely by torching its oil wells and the execution of Kuwaitis.

The image from Time magazine portrays a more positive side of the war when compared to the negativity of war in the work of Pablo Picasso in Guernica. The soldier is portrayed as a hero considering he left his family and own country to defend someone else country and families. It also shows the sophisticated and advance American weaponry and well trained soldiers of the United States.

One of the most significant differences of this cover image from Time and Picassos Guernica is its subject. The Guernica focused almost entirely to the victims of war including the state and the citizens rather than the peripheries and arms of the war mechanism. There is also a big difference in the overall emotion and theme of two images. The Guernica is surrounded by misery and suffering of the people and the state itself. On the other hand, the image of time is more inclined to show the spirit of pride and heroism brought by their well equipped soldiers and their sacrifice for the people of other country.

The two images from Time Magazine and Pablo Picasso had shown us the two sides of the war. However, despite its difference in emotions expressed and the overall theme of the image, it can be aimed toward a single goal and aim   a call for unity. Whether it is the show or misery that was shown or the heroism and pride of a nation is portrayed, it could have the same effect to its viewers or readers, to unite and fight oppression.