Pepe Karmel

Department of Art History, New York University
On behalf of the Museo Picasso Málaga

Welcome

Dear friends and fellow scholars,

It is an honor for me to invite you to join us at the Museo Picasso Málaga on October 9, 10, and 11 for the IV International Picasso Congress, devoted to the topic of “Picasso and History.”

We will be gathering in Málaga, the beautiful seaside town where Picasso was born, and where he first discovered his vocation as an artist. (Legend holds that his first word was “piz,” short for lapiz or pencil.) The MPM’s concurrent exhibition “Picasso. Andalusian References,” will enrich our discussions by reminding us how much the artist learned and absorbed from the art of his native region.

The Congress as a whole will examine the ways that the social and political history of his time entered into Picasso’s work—not just in iconic paintings like Guernica but in every phase of his career: from the famous canvases of the Blue and Rose Periods to his innovative works of the decades after World War II. We will also explore the new social and political meanings that his work acquired when it was seen in different regions of the world, inspiring countless other artists around the globe.

Our discussions over the three days of the Congress will open up a series of new perspectives on the greatest artist of the 20th century. Participants will also enjoy the warm hospitality of the Museo Picasso Málaga, and the rich historical and architectural legacy of the city.

The detailed program of the congress will be published online in June. I hope it will inspire you to join us in October. It will be a wonderful opportunity to exchange ideas, to meet old friends from the international community of Picasso scholars, and to make new friends.

I would like in advance to thank José Lebrero Stals, director of the MPM, and the wonderful staff of the museum for their unceasing efforts in support of the Congress.