The exhibition will bring together around 50 works by one of the most influential figures of the 20th century, exploring aspects of performance in his work. Coinciding with Tate Modern’s 25th anniversary year, Theatre Picasso will continue the gallery’s history of presenting foundational figures from art history in fresh ways. 

From the three dancers to the weeping woman: the artist on stage

The whole exhibition will also showcase prints, drawings, sculptures, textile works and collages, interwoven with key loans from leading Picasso museums in France. The artist was fascinated by performers and their boundless capacity for transformation, and he approached painting as a dramatic act in itself. Central to this was the construction of his own public persona or brand – ‘the artist’ – a mythologised version which portrayed him as both a celebrated creative genius and an outsider. This figure accompanied the painter throughout his life and continues to shape how we imagine the role of the artist today.

The mystery of Picasso: performance, persona and contradiction

In Picasso’s own work, this persona was often expressed through fantastical and striking imagery, such as in the wool and silk tapestry Minotaur 1935, which will be displayed in the UK for the first time, on loan from Musée Picasso, Antibes. The artist not only used drama theatricality as a theme but also looked consistently towards popular entertainers and those pushed to the margins for inspiration, choosing to depict artists working in the circus world, bullfighters and flamenco dancers as well as artists models.

From acrobat to bullfight: the world of performers by Picasso

Such figures will appear throughout the exhibition in works such as Girl in a Chemise c.1905, Horse with a Youth in Blue 1905-6 and Bullfight Scene 1960 from Tate’s collection, alongside Acrobat 1930 lent by Musée national Picasso-Paris. Tsang and Fuenteblanca will reflect on the status of these figures as they are represented in the work, and within the context of the art museum. The exhibition will recognise both the continued relevance and the fascinating contradictions that run throughout his life and work.