Einstein vs. Picasso

ONE of my favorite pieces of my own, one that sent me on a real intellectual journey, explored the similarities between albert einstein's breakthroughs in physics and the ferment in modernist art and literature.

the artist einstein is usually likened to is cubist-era pablo picasso. these two unconventional bohemians were engaged in what scholar arthur. i. miller calls "the same problem," as einstein shattered newtonian physics and picasso shattered the picture plane.

sunday is picasso's birthday, so i'm posting my story, which was tied to a very fine show at the skirball cultural center.

i hope it proves as mind-blowing to read as it was to research and write.

fun fact: for this story i spoke to a freud scholar named michael roth, who at the time ran a school in california but is now the president of my alma mater, wesleyan.

ps. i also love the modern lovers song.