Pablo Picasso (1881–1973). Jacqueline with Crossed Hands, Vallauris, June 3,1954. Oil on canvas, 45 5/8 x 34 7/8 in. Musée national Picasso-Paris, JacquelinePicasso Acceptance in Lieu, 1990. MP1990-26. © 2020 Estate of Pablo Picasso /Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo © RMN-Grand Palais (Muséenational Picasso-Paris) / Adrien Didierjean
The Frist Art Museum is kicking off its 20th anniversary year with Picasso. Figures, an exhibition from the esteemed collection of the Musée national Picasso-Paris.
From Feb. 5 through May 2, the exhibit will be displayed in Frist’s Ingram Gallery for its sole nationwide appearance; it will offer an in-depth look at Pablo Picasso’s career-long fascination with the human figure as a means of expressing a range of subjects and emotions.
The exhibition features approximately 75 paintings, works on paper, and sculptures. Highlights include masterpieces from Picasso’s various styles and periods, in addition to more intimate works that offer fresh insight into his innovative practice.
“Viewers will see how, as Picasso continuously deconstructed and then remade the body, he was also recasting the history of figuration as a combination of his own psychological view of humanity and observations about the disruptive nature of life in the 20th century,” says Frist Art Museum chief curator Mark Scala.
Pablo Picasso (1881–1973). Mother and Child, Paris, summer 1907. Oil oncanvas, 31 7/8 x 23 5/8 in. Musée national Picasso-Paris, Pablo PicassoAcceptance in Lieu, 1979. MP19. © 2020 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists RightsSociety (ARS), New York. Photo © RMN-Grand Palais (Musée national Picasso-Paris) / René-Gabriel Ojéda
Works showcased in the exhibit range from geometric abstractions of the human body to emotionally charged depictions of family, friends, and lovers. Through this impressive variety of pieces, visitors can enjoy a panoramic summary of Picasso’s remarkable wide-ranging creativity along with glimpses into his complex relationships with his wives, mistresses, muses, and models. Moving through the exhibit, the focus shifts to his renowned cubist period of the early 20th century; most notably, works that demonstrate the powerful influence of African and Iberian art on this radical style, in which perceptions of time, space, and reality are altered in ways that embody the ideal of artistic freedom manifested by artists of the period.
Continuing through the exhibition, visitors can observe paintings, sculptures, and works on paper that showcase Picasso’s experiments with a wide range of styles such as surrealism, neoclassicism, and expressionism. The exhibit concludes with his late works—characterized by vivid colors and playful twists on the old masters—further illustrating Picasso’s relentless desire to reinvent painting throughout the span of his lifetime.
Pablo Picasso (1881–1973). The Bathers, Biarritz, summer 1918. Oil on canvas,10 5/8 x 8 5/8 in. Musée national Picasso-Paris, Pablo Picasso Acceptance inLieu, 1979. MP61. © 2020 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS),New York. Photo © RMN-Grand Palais (Musée national Picasso-Paris) / SylvieChan-Liat
With so much to see and experience, the Frist Art Museum could not be prouder to bring such an extraordinary exhibition to Nashville. And as Picasso. Figures’ one and only U.S. appearance, the exhibit is certainly a must-visit to enjoy a little piece of Paris right here in Music City.
“We are delighted to work with the Musée national Picasso-Paris—the home of the world’s largest and most comprehensive public collection of works by the iconic artist—to bring Picasso. Figures to Nashville,” says Frist Art Museum director and CEO Susan H. Edwards.
“Through the extraordinary generosity and support of our community for almost 20 years now, we have been able to deliver on our mission to present world-class exhibitions in Nashville. For many years, we have been looking for a Picasso show of this caliber, and we are thrilled that during our 20th anniversary we will be able to share this astonishing collection with our city and everyone who will travel to see it.”
Frist Art Museum, 919 Broadway, 615-244-3340; fristartmusuem.org