Despite the persistent and popular story that we were classmates I have never met Pablo Picasso. The closet I’ve been to Picasso was his daughter, Paloma. I was interning for Hispanic Designers Inc and she was the special guest designer at a huge gala I was attending. I remember the fabulous gown she was wearing – black and white polka dot pouf, very, very LaCroix. I remember her red lipstick and her smile. I remember her laugh. I remember thinking, “you’re in the presence of someone that grew up with greatness.”

Portrait of Dora Maar, Paris, November 23, 1937.

Before heading out of town for a flurry of bookings I was invited to attend  Picasso. Figures at Frist Art Museum. Afterwards I was speechless which if you know me never happens. I always have something to say. Again I felt, as I would think everyone else that walked through the exhibition, you are in the presence of greatness. Or rather the product of that greatness. It was an  extraordinary exhibition to walk through. I look forward to seeing it again when I get back to Nashville.

The Supplicant, December 18, 1937.

The exhibition from the collection of the Musée national Picasso-Paris is making it’s sole U.S. appearance at Frist Art Museum. Everyone should see it. EVERYONE!  The exhibition offers an in-depth look at Pablo Picasso’s career-long fascination with the human figure as a means of expressing a range of subjects and emotions. It features approximately 75 paintings, works on paper, and sculptures.

The Bathers, Biarritz, summer 1918.

“Viewers will see how, as Picasso continuously deconstructed and then remade the body, he was also recasting the history of figuration as a combination of his own psychological view of humanity and observations about the disruptive nature of life in the 20th century,” says Frist Art Museum chief curator Mark Scala.

Jacqueline with Crossed Hands, Vallauris, June 3, 1954.

“We are delighted to work with the Musée national Picasso-Paris—the home of the world’s largest and most comprehensive public collection of works by the iconic artist—to bring Picasso. Figures to Nashville,” says Frist Art Museum director and CEO Susan H. Edwards. “Through the extraordinary generosity and support of our community for almost 20 years now, we have been able to deliver on our mission to present world-class exhibitions in Nashville. For many years, we have been looking for a Picasso show of this caliber, and we are thrilled that during our 20th anniversary we will be able to share this astonishing collection with our city and everyone who will travel to see it.”

Mother and Child, Paris, summer 1907.

Picasso. Figures is organized in collaboration with the Musée national Picasso-Paris. It was conceived and organized by Emilia Philippot, curator, and François Dareau, associate curator, Musée national Picasso-Paris.