Countdown to Picasso: This Summer at WAG

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Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881-1973) , "Femme assise," 1927

oil on canvas .130.8 x 97.8 cm. Art Gallery of Ontario, purchase, with assistance from the Women's Committee and anonymous contributions, 1954. 63/44 © Picasso Estate / SODRAC (2016)

Beginning May 13, the Winnipeg Art Gallery will present a rare showcase of the art of Pablo Picasso, Manitoba’s first in almost half a century. Two exhibitions will feature key masterworks by the iconic 20th-century artist: Picasso in Canada, organized by the WAG in conjunction with the Canada 150 Celebrations, and Picasso: Man and Beast.The Vollard Suite of Prints, organized by the National Gallery of Canada. Both shows open May 13 and run until August 13.

Celebrating Canada’s 150th anniversary, Picasso in Canada brings together over 30 works of art drawn from eight art museums across the country, from paintings and watercolours to drawings, engravings, and ceramic works. Among these pieces is Seated Woman, arguably the most renowned painting by Picasso in a Canadian public collection, lent by the Art Gallery of Ontario. Curated by WAG Director & CEO Dr. Stephen Borys, the focus exhibition spans five decades of Picasso’s artistic production, offering a range of well-known themes and images, including intimate portraits of five of Picasso’s lovers.

“Picasso is one of the most recognizable names in the world and whether or not you know his art, this pair of exhibitions will surprise and excite you by highlighting his extraordinary skill and many sides,” states Borys. “Picasso at the WAG adds to the amazing series of events happening in Winnipeg this summer, such as Canada 150 and the Canada Summer Games. The community and tourists are in for a treat!”

Perhaps best known for his bold Cubist paintings, Picasso was also a talented printmaker. One of the finest examples of his graphic work is The Vollard Suite, which features 100 etchings produced in the 1930s. With only a handful of the complete sets existing today in the world, the National Gallery of Canada’s is therefore a national treasure and rarely exhibited due to its fragility. Named after the legendary Paris art dealer Ambroise Vollard, the suite explores both the civilizing nature of art and the provocative ‘beast within.’

The Vollard Suite was presented in its entirety at the NGC last year for the first time in 60 years, successfully attracting over 74,000 visitors. The WAG exhibition will be the only other presentation of the suite in Canada. The exhibition is curated by Dr. Sonia Del Re, NGC Associate Curator of European, American, and Asian Prints and Drawings.

Source: Winnipeg Art Gallery