El Malagueño

Review

Beauty & Drama” is the title of the exhibition integrated into the 4th edition of the Macao International Biennale, on view at the colossal Grand Lisboa Palace in Cotai through October 26, 2025.

The exhibition showcases 143 personal artifacts, photographs, prints, drawings, sketches, lithographs, sculptures, and ceramic pieces that aim to present a lesser-known chapter in the life of Pablo Picasso – his childhood and early ties to his native Málaga in Andalusia.

Curated by Mario Virgilio Montañez Arroyo and supported by the Museo Casa Natal Picasso, the Agencia Pública para la Gestión de la Casa Natal de Pablo Ruiz Picasso y otros Equipamientos Museísticos y Culturales, and the Ayuntamiento de Málaga, the exhibition is divided into seven thematic sections.

Beginning with his genealogy, visitors are taken through images of Picasso’s infancy – including his first baby clothes and shoes from 1882, the ones he wore when he began to walk and explore the world. The section also revisits his early years at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando in Madrid, where his classical realist training took root. These details offer rare insight into a world mostly unknown to his admirers – one that the curator believes is essential to understanding the artist’s work and development.

From women to bulls ñ a life in themes

The first thematic section, titled “Women,” pays tribute to the most important women in Picasso’s life – notably Françoise Gilot and Jacqueline Roque. This is followed by “Ceramics,” a field the artist began exploring late in life, near the age of 70. Then come “Beauty” and “Myths” – echoing the phrase “good artists copy; great artists steal” – which highlight his reinterpretations of classical narratives.

The fifth section, one of the most visually striking, is “Bulls,” featuring photos of Picasso with bullfighters he admired and several of his magnificent drawings of bulls, horses, and picadors – scenes from bullfighting now considered controversial but still visually arresting.

The final two sections are “Technique” and “Top Ten.” The former explores Picasso’s experiments with printmaking, engraving, and mixed media. The latter presents what the curator considers ten essential works reflecting Picasso’s artistic genius, his attachment to family and tradition, and his revolutionary outlook. These include: Figure with a Striped Bodice (1949), Paloma with Her Doll, Black Background (1952), Painter Picking up His Brush, and Model with Turban (1927–28, possibly early 1930), Cavalier and Horse (1952), Flute Player (1951), Luncheon on the Grass (after Manet) II (1962), The Fauns and Centaurs (1947), The Great Bullfight (1949), Games and Reading (1953), and Bust of Woman with Bodice (Jacqueline in Profile) (1957–58).

The young Raymonde, design and space

One particularly controversial highlight – previously examined in a BBC series – is a sketch of young Raymonde, age 13, whom Picasso and his companion Fernande Olivier reportedly sought to adopt. The girl was ultimately returned to an orphanage after it was discovered Picasso had drawn her nude.

A well-executed and relevant use of artificial intelligence provides visitors with interactive screens. One clever design element connects the different sections with panels depicting Andalusian architecture, orange trees, and garden benches – immersing visitors in the scents of jasmine, a fragrance characteristic of both Andalusia and China. A dedicated children’s area allows younger visitors to draw and explore the exhibit creatively. At the end, a small shop by the exit offers prints and souvenirs for purchase.

1. The Great Bullfight, 2. Luncheon on the Grass (after Manet) II, 3. Bust of Woman with White Bodice (Jacqueline in Profile), 4. Paloma with her Doll, Black Background, 5. Cavalier and Horse,
6. Figure with a Stripped Bodice

This unique, original, and essential exhibition does, however, fall short in a few areas – notably the tiny size and poor lighting of many placards, especially those in English, and the complete absence of Portuguese, Macau’s official language, and Spanish from these displays. This omission should be addressed in future exhibitions.

Finally, it would be worth knowing the costs involved in staging these kinds of events. While it is public knowledge that Macau’s gaming concessionaires are required to invest in social, cultural, and entertainment initiatives, the new policy of confidentiality leaves the public in the dark about concession contracts – which by nature and precedent should be publicly accessible – as well as the scope and value of these investments.