Picasso: Tête-à-tête offers an unprecedented glimpse into the private world of Pablo Picasso, revealing intimate works curated by his daughter, Paloma.
By Arts Editorial Staff
In the revered spaces of Gagosian’s Madison Avenue flagship—soon to close its historic chapter in New York—an unparalleled exhibition of Picasso’s intimate works unfolds. These pieces, drawn, sculpted, and painted, provide an extraordinary glimpse into nearly eight decades of relentless creativity. Picasso: Tête-à-tête serves as a profound swan song for the gallery and deepens our evolving understanding of one of art’s most enigmatic figures.
The Daughter's Gaze
Presented in intimate partnership with Paloma Picasso, this exhibition transcends the typical retrospective. These are not merely works from the Picasso estate; they are rare treasures from the family’s private collection, including nearly a dozen pieces never before shared with the public.
“There is something deeply moving about watching Paloma curate her father’s legacy,” says renowned curator Elaine Winters. “She doesn't just see these works as historical artifacts; they are pieces of personal history. The exhibition becomes a dialogue not only between the artworks but across generations.”
Paloma’s curatorial vision reflects her father’s own approach—rejecting a rigid chronological narrative. Instead, the works speak to one another across time, revealing an artist constantly in conversation with himself.
Paloma Picasso notes, "I was delighted when Larry suggested we work together on a significant exhibition. Showing my father's work as he wanted it to be seen—in conversation across subjects and periods—is a fitting tribute to his legacy. A number of the works we selected haven't been seen since my father had them in his studio and to have them reunited with important examples from other collections will be a very special event."
Juxtaposed Revelations
This orchestrated dialogue between periods and styles offers a glimpse into Picasso’s creative mind—never linear, always evolving. A tender portrait from his Blue Period hangs next to a fractured Cubist study of the same subject. A monumental sculpture from his Classical period stands opposite a late-career painting that seems to deconstruct its very essence. The effect is kaleidoscopic, disorienting, and profoundly revelatory.
“You see me here, and yet I’ve already changed, I’m already elsewhere,” Picasso once said. This exhibition adopts that sentiment as its organizing principle, presenting an artist perpetually in the act of becoming something new.
The Unseen Picasso
The true revelation of Tête-à-tête lies in the previously unexhibited works—pieces that have remained hidden from the public eye for decades, some never leaving Picasso’s studio. These intimate works offer a glimpse into the private creative world of an artist who, despite his immense fame, kept certain aspects of his work intensely personal.
A series of small experimental sculptures from the late 1950s reveals Picasso grappling with formal challenges in three dimensions, which would later emerge transformed in his paintings. Additionally, intimate portraits of his children reveal a tenderness rarely associated with his more confrontational depictions of lovers and wives.
“These works complicate our understanding of Picasso. They reveal an artist constantly questioning his own solutions, always striving to reinvent what he had already mastered. Even in his private moments of creation, Picasso's inventive spirit was relentless.” notes art historian Marcel Dumont.
Larry Gagosian expressed his excitement: "I have been fortunate to present more than twenty exhibitions dedicated to Pablo Picasso throughout my career, and it seems only fitting that a blockbuster show of the artist's work should close out our time at 980 Madison. It is incredibly exciting to partner with Paloma on her first major international exhibition, and to bring to light so many works that have never been shown before."
The Final Conversation
As the last exhibition to grace Gagosian’s Madison Avenue flagship, Picasso: Tête-à-tête serves as both celebration and elegy. Like Picasso himself, the gallery seems to say: I am here, and yet I’ve already changed, I’m already elsewhere.
The exhibition catalog, featuring a conversation between Paloma Picasso and artist Peter Doig, promises to deepen this multidimensional dialogue. Doig, whose work often engages with art historical precedents while maintaining a fiercely independent vision, offers a contemporary perspective on Picasso’s ever-evolving legacy.
For those fortunate enough to witness this unprecedented gathering before the works return to private collections and vaults, Picasso: Tête-à-tête offers a rare chance to see Picasso anew, engaging with an artist whose work continually defies easy interpretations.
Picasso: Tête-à-tête runs April 18–July 3, 2025, at Gagosian, 980 Madison Avenue, New York.
Featured Image Credit:
Pablo Picasso
Femme au Vase de Houx (Marie-Thérèse), 1937
Oil and charcoal on canvas
28 3/4 x 23 5/8 inches (73 x 60 cm)
© 2025 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Photo: Sandra Pointet
Courtesy Gagosian