Reflections. Picasso/Koons at the Alhambra

Museo Picasso Málaga announces ‘Reflections. Picasso/Koons,’ a new series of special exhibitions placing Picasso’s work in dialogue with leading contemporary artists in some of Andalusia’s greatest cultural locations.

The first exhibition of the series, which pairs the American artist Jeff Koons with Picasso, opens at the Museum of Fine Arts on December 17, 2024. The Museum of Fine Arts is housed within the renaissance Palace of Charles V, located in the Alhambra in Granada. A UNESCO World Heritage Site dating from the 13th century, the Alhambra is a spectacular palace and fortress complex overlooking the city, and one of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture. The exhibition ‘Reflections. Picasso/Koons’ at the Alhambra runs from December 17, 2024, to March 16, 2025.

‘Reflections. Picasso/Koons’ at the Alhambra is presented by the Museo Picasso Málaga in collaboration with the Fundación Almine y Bernard Ruiz-Picasso (FABA), and the Regional Ministry of Culture and Sport of the Junta de Andalucía, with the support of the Unicaja Foundation.

In the words of Miguel López-Remiro, Artistic Director of Museo Picasso Málaga, “The museum of the 21st century presents itself as an am-plified space where art transcends boundaries and engages in dialogue with multiple contexts—a museum envisioned as a public square, a meeting point, and a place of future exploration. The ‘Reflections. Picasso/Koons’ project is embedded in this vision, seeking to intermittently expand the presence of the Museo Picasso Málaga in collaboration with iconic Andalusian spaces, creating new opportunities to deepen the understanding of Picasso’s work. Within this framework, ‘Reflections. Picasso/Koons,’ which inaugurates this project, establishes a perspec-tive on the relationship between the work of Pablo Picasso and Jeff Koons in the context of the Palace of Charles V, the Museum of Fine Arts’ collection in Granada, and the unique setting of the Alhambra. It invites profound reflection on the intersec-tion between tradition, avant-garde, and contemporary art.”

‘Reflections. Picasso/Koons’ at the Alhambra features five works—two by Picasso and three by Koons—integrated the permanent collec-tion of the Museum of Fine Arts, creating a dynamic conversation between past and present. Three Graces by Koons is displayed in the circular courtyard of the Palace of Charles V, whilst Picasso’s The Three Graces (1923) is displayed inside the Museum. Head of a Warrior (1933) by Picasso and two works by Koons from his Gazing Ball series are also displayed in Room 1 of the Museum, which is dedicated to the oldest and most revered works of art.

The Museum of Fine Arts is one of the main cultural landmarks in Granada. Its extensive collection of-fers a journey through the history of Granada’s art, from the Renaissance to the 20th century, with a notable representation of the Baroque school. Among its artistic treasures are works by Alonso Cano, one of the greatest exponents of religious art, whose influence left a profound mark on local sculpture and paint-ing. The museum also houses pieces by other great masters such as Pedro de Mena and Mariano Fortuny, highlighting the artistic diversity of the region. The museum provides a comprehensive view of the evolution of sacred art, with a strong pres-ence of religious-themed works that reflect the deep connection between the city and its spiritual traditions. It also features examples of portraits, landscapes, and everyday scenes that depict the life and culture of Granada throughout the centuries.

Within the Alhambra, the works by Picasso and Koons illuminate the continuity and transformation of artistic inspiration, offering visitors a unique perspective on the dialogue between tradition and modernity.

On December 17, the opening of ‘Reflections. Picasso/Koons’ at the Alhambra is marked by a public conversation between Jeff Koons and art historian Joachim Pissarro, great-grandson of the artist Camille Pissarro, on the influence of Picasso.

‘Reflections. Picasso/Koons’ at the Alhambra is a project conceived and developed by the Fundación Almine y Bernard Ruiz-Picasso in collabora-tion with the Jeff Koons Studio. The exhibition is curated by Miguel López-Remiro alongside Ricardo Tenorio, Director of the Museum of Fine Arts in Granada. This exhibition is made pos-sible with the support of the Regional Ministry of Culture and Sport, the Board of Trustees of the Alhambra and Generalife, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Granada. All these institu-tions wish to express their gratitude for the sponsorship of the Unicaja Foundation in this project.