The Tragedy of 1952

“The Tragedy of 1952” takes place in the lively scene of a 1950’s Jazz Bar. Having taken inspiration from Pablo Picasso (who was at the height of his career in the 50’s), I made all my characters abstracted to the point where their expressions are effortlessly portrayed to the viewer. But, there is a twist to this piece, because in my focal point, there is a man in a white cloak who is shooting up the bar. I tried to capture the exact apex of the tragedy. In the scene, some go-ers of the bar have noticed it and some haven’t yet. There are hidden narratives and side stories in the scene which can be read as the viewers eye is lead around. I also made an ode to Picasso’s "Guernica" in the background, a masterpiece that is known for speaking on a tragic event.