Image courtesy of David Douglas Duncan

Picasso & the camera

Gagosian Gallery, in partnership with Bernard Ruiz-Picasso, is pleased to present “Picasso and the Camera”, the fifth in a series of major Picasso surveys, following “Mosqueteros” (2009), “Picasso: The Mediterranean Years (1945–1962)” (2010), “Picasso and Marie-Thérèse: L’amour fou” (2011), and “Picasso and Françoise Gilot: Paris-Vallauris 1943–1953” (2012).

Image courtesy of David Douglas Duncan

Curated by Picasso biographer John Richardson, assisted by Gagosian directors Valentina Castellani and Michael Cary, the exhibition explores how Picasso used photography not only as a source of inspiration, but as an integral part of his studio practice. Spanning sixty years, this show, which includes many photographs taken by Picasso but never before seen or published, as well as related paintings, drawings, sculptures, prints, and films, will provide an unprecedented survey of his unique relationship with the camera.

Image courtesy of David Douglas Duncan

David Korins, acclaimed scenic and production designer for stage and screen, has transformed the 21st Street gallery with an innovative exhibition design that seamlessly incorporates the vast array of archival materials with Picasso’s own works in a variety of media. The most famous visual artist of the 20th century, Picasso was also the most photographed. His striking features became an icon of his own time, recognized the world over. Yet this phenomenon was not a mere by-product of celebrity; his own practice set the precedent.

Image courtesy of David Douglas Duncan

He used the camera to capture life in the studio and at home, to try out new ideas, to study his works and document their creation, and to shape his own image as an artist at work. The resulting body of photographs and films, filled with fact, invention and myth, is vital to an understanding of Picasso’s achievements across his entire artistic output. As Picasso said to one of his favorite photographers Brassaï, “…I want to leave as complete a record as possible for posterity.”

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