Giacometti's Retrospective at Guggenheim Bilbao Explores Dissolution and the Void

Until February 24, 2019, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is showcasing a significant retrospective of Alberto Giacometti (1901–1966). This exhibition juxtaposes Giacometti's delicate figures against Frank Gehry's striking titanium structure. His art, characterized by a sense of destruction and discontent, is defined by extreme verticality and slender forms. Works such as "Grande tête mince" (1954) delve into the discrepancies between the model and its representation. After departing from Surrealism in the 1930s, Giacometti concentrated on portraits with a focus on visual perception. Notable figures like Sartre and Beckett appreciated his exploration of themes like failure and disappearance. Curated by Marcello Faletra, the exhibition features drawings, paintings, and sculptures, underscoring Giacometti's view of art as ephemeral. He succumbed to liver cancer.