The Mississippi Museum of Art (MMA) is honoring the legacy of the artist with the first exhibition to explore his deep engagement with landscape subjects and his expansive approach to this traditional genre.

Presented by the American Federation of Arts (AFA), Picasso Landscapes: Out of Bounds opens November 11, 2023. MMA is the final venue for this traveling exhibition, closing on March 3, 2024.

The first American traveling exhibition devoted to this subject, Picasso Landscapes features thirty paintings and sculptures spanning the entirety of Picasso’s career. An exclusive view into the artist’s creative process, the exhibition will explore the Picasso’s lifelong fascination with landscapes by highlighting his innovative re-imaginations of this traditional genre and sources of inspiration such as historical films, photographs, and periodicals which contextualize the depth and breadth of Picasso’s work with landscape.

Landscapes were a constant companion for Picasso, known for experimentation with a wide range of media, throughout his entire life. From his earliest days in art school until the year before his death, Picasso used landscape to mediate his perception of the world and jump start his creative evolution. Picasso’s landscapes were catalysts for the growth of his unique artistic perspective such as his early cubist works and large-scale sculptures.

Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, and theatre designer.

One of the most influential artists of the 20th century, he is best remembered for co-founding the Cubist movement, the invention of constructed sculpture, and the co-invention of collage. Prolific during his long lifetime, Picasso is estimated to have created more than 16,000 paintings and drawings. Fifty years after his death, Picasso continues to be ranked one of the world’s top artists and his vast collection serves as source of inspiration for generations of today’s artists.

Picasso Landscapes: Out of Bounds will be accompanied by a catalog that is co-published by the American Federation of Arts and DeMonico Books • D.A.P. and present a focused study of Picasso’s landscapes. The catalog can be purchased in The Museum Store.This exhibition is organized by the American Federation of the Arts with guest curator Laurence Madeline, with the exceptional support of the Musée national Picasso-Paris. The exhibition is generously supported by Monique Schoen Warshaw. Additional support has been provided by Lee White Galvis, Clare E. McKoen, and Stephanie R. La Nasa. Its presentation in Jackson, MS, is sponsored by the Robert M. Hearin Support Foundation, Trustmark, and Visit Mississippi. This exhibition is the 18th Presentation of the Annie Laurie Swaim Hearin Exhibition Series. Support for the accompanying publication provided by Futhermore: a program of the J.M Kaplan Fund.

About Picasso Celebration 1973-2023

April 8, 2023, marked the fiftieth anniversary of the death of the Spanish artist Pablo Picasso and thus the year will represent the celebration of his work and his artistic legacy in France, Spain, and internationally. The Picasso Celebration 1973-2023 is structured around some fifty exhibitions and events that will be held in renowned cultural institutions in Europe and North America, and which together will draw up a historiographical survey of approaches to Picasso’s work. The commemoration, accompanies by official celebrations in France and Spain, will make it possible to take stock of the research and interpretations of the artist’s work, especially during an important international symposium in autumn 2023, which also coincides with the opening of the Center for Picasso Studies in Paris. The Musée national Picasso-Paris and the Spanish National Commission for the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the death of Pablo Picasso are pleased to support this exceptional program.