King Pablo

VELVETISSUE • n°35 • 2023

KING PABLO

In the footsteps of Picasso, from France to Spain and New York on the occasion of the international celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of his death

by Micaela Zucconi

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© Voyez-Vous Vinciane Lebrun

Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) is the star of 2023. Events commemorating the 50th anniversary of his death are being held throughout the world in a marathon series of around fifty exhibitions exploring his works and artistic legacy. Picasso was born and brought up in Spain and spent much of his adult life in France, and these two countries lead the Celebration 1973-2023 parade with sixteen and twelve exhibitions respectively, involving the most important institutions in the places that played a significant role in his life, from Malaga, where he was born, and A Coruña, where he began to draw and paint, to Paris, the scene of his later artistic exploits. Some shows, like the one at The Beyeler Foundation, are already over, others are currently underway or are yet to open, with a grand finale set for autumn. The highlights include the largest French event at the Musée National Picasso-Paris, which boasts a collection of over 5,000 works and items from the artist’s personal archives. The museum has collaborated by making generous loans of art works to the celebrations, “Célébration Picasso, la Collection prend de couleurs”, until 27th August. The show is curated by Sir Paul Smith. The British designer, known for his work with colour, seeks to offer a less conventional point of view, one that is more visual and spontaneous, with the inclusion of contemporary artists like Guillermo Kuitca, Obi Okigbo, Mickalene Thomas and Chéri Samba, who show the same desire to open new perspectives on Picasso’s legacy. One of the many Spanish initiatives is “Picasso Sculptor. Materia y Cuerpo”, at the Picasso Museum in Malaga, until 10th September, dedicated to

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This page, images from the Célebration Picasso: la collection prend de couleurs! show at the Musée National Picasso-Paris, with Sir Paul Smith as artistic director. Left, the ceramics. Above, two images of the display. Below, Pablo Picasso, Jacqueline aux mains croisée, 1954, donation Jacqueline Picasso 1990 © Voyez-Vous Vinciane Lebrun ©Succession Picasso 2023

the artist’s sculptural work. It provides an opportunity to see the permanent collection with works like the “Portrait of Lola”, Picasso’s sister, painted in A Coruña in 1894, and “Jacqueline Seated”, the first portrait of his second wife from 1954. Madrid offers a rich selection of opportunities. The Casa Encendida de Fundación Montemadrid is hosting “Picasso: Sin Título” (until 7th January, 2024), with fifty works from the artist’s late period (1963-1973). From 14th November to 4th March 2024 it’s the turn of the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid with “Picasso 1906: La gran transformación”, dedicated to the period of the artist’s great conceptual, aesthetic and formal transformation and his shift from a classical approach to Cubism. In New York, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum presents “Jeune Picasso à Paris”, and for the occasion the Peggy Guggenheim collection in Venice is displaying all the Picasso works in its collection. With “Picasso e l’Antico” (until 27th August) the National Archaeological Museum in Naples examines Picasso’s visit to the museum and Pompeii and how this visit influenced his creative development in terms of naturalism and three-dimensionality. The various auctions throughout

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This page, top, installation view of the Young Picasso in Paris exhibition at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York. To side, Pablo Picasso, The Diners (Les Soupeurs), Paris,1901. Oil on cardboard, Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, bequest of George Pierce Metcalf, 1957. Opposite page, from the Célebration Picasso exhibition: la collection prend de couleurs! At the Musée National Picasso in Paris. Top left, Pablo Picasso, Portrait de Dora Maar, 1937, oil on canvas, Musée National Picasso-Paris, donation Pablo Picasso, 1979. MP158. Right, an installation view of the Paris show. Bottom: Pablo Picasso, La Baignade, 12th February 1937, oil, conté and chalk on canvas, on show at the Peggy Guggenheim Foundation, Venice (Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, New York) on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Pablo Picasso’s death

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This page, images from the exhibition Picasso: Sin Título at the La Casa Encendida, Fundación Montemadrid, in Madrid: Fifty works from the artist’s late period (1963-1973), each with a new title suggested by fifty contemporary artists. Above, an installation view. To side, another installation view with the title of the exhibition

the time have confirmed Picasso’success. The results of 2022 put him “only” in third place, behind Andy Warhol and Claude Monet, although his works still earned many millions. For example, “Femme nue couchée” (1932) sold for 67,541,000 dollars at Sotheby’s and “Femme assise près d’une fenȇtre (Marie-Thèrese)”, also from 1932, went under the hammer for 103,410,000 dollars at Christie’s. Picasso’s ceramics are also making a strong showing – for example, four rare plates from the “Visage Noir” series, bought by chance at Salvation Army sale. The value of the pieces was recognised and they were sold for almost 40 million dollars. museepicassoparis.fr celebrationpicasso.es guggenheim.org guggenheim-venice.it

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Estudio Perplejo ImagenSubliminal (Miguel de Guzman + Rocio Romero)

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