MADRID — Pablo Picasso's anti-war masterpiece "Guernica", one of the world's most iconic paintings, on Sunday served as a backdrop to a dance performance for the first time in its 77-year history.



About 80 people sat on the floor or stood as Josue Ullate, a bare chested dancer in black tights, jumped and leapt in front of the large black-and-white canvas at Madrid's Reina Sofia Museum. The 20-year-old performed "Quiebro", a piece lasting about five minutes and inspired by a song written by late flamenco singer Enrique Morente that mixes modern ballet with traditional Spanish dance, two times as part of International Dance Day celebrations.



It took organisers over a year of talks to get permission of Ullate to perform in front of the painting, which used images of distorted figures — human and animal —  to represent the horrors of war.



The Reina Sofia Museum initially turned down the request but it eventually relented after Picasso's family gave their support to the project, daily newspaper El Pais reported. "I think it is an amazing idea, very good. They should do it all the time. This was special, it is 'Guernica'. Marvelous," said Miguel Angel Colilla, a 44-year-old painter, after one of the performances. — AFP