Madrid's very own Museo del Prado debuts its new exhibition, "Reversos" or "On the Reverse," urging everyone to come and explore the unseen side of over 105 works of art.
The exhibition is comprised of works from Prado's own illustrious collection and also some loaned pieces from legendary artists like Van Gogh, René Magritte, and Lucio Fontana.
The Prado Museum, which plans to run the exhibition from November 7 until March 3, endeavors to induce a journey of contemplation by showing the "reverse" of timeless masterpieces across 10 different sections. One such depiction of a masterpiece welcomes curious art aficionados donning a previously unknown appearance.
An Unfamiliar 'Las Meninas' at Museo del Prado Exhibition
At the forefront of the exhibition is a contemplative rendition of "Las Meninas," created by artist Vik Muniz, which primarily portrays the canvas backside of Prado's best-known piece.
The exhibition's curator, Miguel Ángel Blanco, established this rendition as the "Northstar" of "Reversos" to act as an invitation to look at art in its entirety beyond the facade of its imagery.
According to Prado's director Miguel Falomir, this holistic perceiving and appreciation towards art are precisely what Velázquez was trying to say through "Las Meninas," that the act of painting itself is not just about the image.
"Works of art are three-dimensional; when we focus solely on the image, which is a reproduction of a given moment frozen in time, we get some information, but we miss a lot when it comes to everything that the work means as an object," Falomir said as The Guardian reported.
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The 'B-Sides' of Art
Following the debates about the value of painting and sculpture during the Italian Renaissance, artists in that era were inspired to create double-sided paintings that depict an image both from the front and the back.
In the central section of the "Reversos" exhibition lies the "B-Sides," which showcases these paintings telling two-fold artistic stories. For Blanco, the most eye-catching piece in the exhibit is found in this section, particularly Martin van Meytens' "Kneeling Nun," which was painted in 1731.
The front side portrays the namesake of the painting being watched by an aged nun, with the reverse side showing an obscene depiction of the same nun baring her behind.
"Reversos" goes beyond an ordinary exhibition as it speaks of mostly unheard stories sitting behind every masterpiece, asking every art enjoyer to also look for these hidden sides of each piece.
