In the midst of the Picasso Celebration 1973-2023, Málaga has prepared for the 50th anniversary of the death of its famous artist to be remembered for years to come. The different museums and venues in the city are offering a series of exhibitions and cultural initiatives that you can't miss. We will tell you all about it.

Exhibitions dedicated to Picasso in the major museums

The Museo Casa Natal Picasso is currently showing the exhibition “The last face and the aphonia of the Minotaur,” by the Mallorcan artist Bernardí Roig, until 28 May. This exhibition is on display simultaneously at this museum and the Centre Pompidou Málaga and the Collection of the Russian Museum of Saint Petersburg/Málaga. The exhibition consists of drawings, sculptures, light installations, large blocks of coagulated light, text, photography and video. The Centre Pompidou Málaga, for its part, is hosting the section entitled “Occupying the void with blocks of stopped light” and the Collection of the Russian Museum of St. Petersburg Málaga, “Dancing the silence of time.”

From 21 June to 1 October, the Picasso Birthplace Museum is exhibiting “The Ages of Pablo,” a chronological and stylistic tour of Picasso's work through the stages that marked his life.

From 18 October until 23 March 2024, the exhibition “The Image of Picasso” takes over, an examination of Picasso's presence in the media: photography, the written press, television, advertising, cinema, television, comic strips and popular music offer a kaleidoscope of diverse visions and representations.

For its part, the Museo Picasso Málaga is hosting the exhibition “Dialogues with Picasso. Collection 2020-2023.” The exhibition covers Pablo Picasso's artistic career thematically and chronologically. There are 162 works in addition to the 233 works in the museum's own collection.

In addition, the space in Calle San Agustín is exhibiting until 23 April “Picasso visto por Otero,” an exhibition with images that reveal the daily life of Pablo Picasso and which includes unpublished archive material from the Roberto Otero Fund.

Thus, from 8 May to 10 September 2023 this space will be the venue for “Picasso. Matter and body,” the first exclusive exhibition on Picasso's sculpture to be seen in Spain. The exhibition highlights an artistic discipline that the Málaga-born artist considered to be the protagonist of his work.

From 1 October until 24 March 2024, the Museo Picasso Málaga will be hosting the exhibition “El eco de Picasso” (The Echo of Picasso), which reflects the influence of the painter and his styles on the art of the last century.

Exhibitions in other venues

The La Malagueta Cultural Centre is hosting the exhibition “Edward Quinn: Picasso and the golden years of the Côte d'Azur” until 30 July. This is the first retrospective exhibition in Spain of the photographer, who had the opportunity to portray the painter's private and intimate life.

For its part, the Automobile and Fashion Museum (MAM) will kick off its programme in April to celebrate this anniversary. Thus, the museum is exhibiting “Picasso and the MAM vehicles.” The MAM's automobile collection boasts three vehicles with identical characteristics to those owned by the painter and with which he was photographed on numerous occasions throughout his life, precisely by the photographer Edward Quinn.

To culminate, the Haute Couture collection housed at the MAM will be extended with a series of bags by Paloma Picasso, the artist's sister, which will reaffirm the contribution of the family of the genius from Málaga to the artistic scene, in this case fashion, on an international level.

On the other hand, the exhibition hall of the Museum Jorge Rando will have the exhibition “Rando and Picasso in the bullring,” while the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Telmo will have a series of lectures on Picasso.

The Sociedad Económica de Amigos del País will host the exhibition 'Picasso-Málaga, 1936: The exhibition that could not be'. Likewise, Apertura. Centro de Fotografía y Artes Visuales will do the same with 'Picasso before the lens of Gyenes'.

Other activities to celebrate Picasso

The Orquesta Filarmónica de Málaga will give a concert at the Teatro Cervantes on 13 and 14 April. This is the orchestra's 11th programme, entitled “Celebración Picasso. 1973-2023,” which will be conducted by José María Moreno. In the first part, the orchestra will perform “Pulcinella” by Igor Stravinsky, while in the second, it will be the turn of “El sombrero de tres picos” (ballet) by Manuel de Falla.

For its part, the Málaga audiovisual centre Minichaplin is launching the “Podcast Yo fui Picasso -Los materiales de esa memoria-” (I was Picasso -The materials of that memory). Also in September and October, the association, together with the art gallery La Casa Amarilla, will be holding the series of conferences Picassianas: “Picasso is alive” and the graffiti competition “El Guernica hoy.”

Picasso for children

The Association of Friends of Picasso's Birthplace is holding the Gimkana Picassiana: “In the footsteps of Picasso in Málaga” and the amateur speed painting competition 'Picasso's Birthplace' in September-October 2023.

The Museo Automovilístico y de la Moda is going to set up educational workshops for children, which will dedicate the last workshop of each month to the figure of the painter from Málaga. They will include activities on Picasso's constructions, theatres based on the artist's life and even pixel art in the same style.