Pablo Picasso

Pablo Picasso (1881 – 1973) was born in Málaga, Spain, and died in Mougins, France. Widely regarded as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, Picasso transformed the course of modern art through his revolutionary approaches to form, composition, and expression. Over the course of his prolific career, he co-founded Cubism, pioneered collage, and made significant contributions across painting, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics, and stage design.

From an early age, Picasso demonstrated extraordinary artistic talent. After moving to Paris in the early 1900s, he developed a series of stylistic periods—including the Blue Period, Rose Period, and ultimately Cubism—that would cement his reputation as a groundbreaking innovator. Major works such as Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (1907) and Guernica (1937) exemplify his lasting impact on the history of art. Throughout his career, Picasso remained committed to experimentation, constantly evolving his style and exploring new media. His immense body of work reflects both his personal life and broader sociopolitical contexts, making him a defining figure of modernism.

Heinz Berggruen, one of the 20th century’s most important art dealers and collectors, was a close friend and champion of Picasso. His legendary collection of over 100 Picasso works became the foundation of the Berggruen Museum in Berlin. Continuing this legacy, his son John Berggruen, founder of Berggruen Gallery, has exhibited and placed important works by Picasso for over five decades. Berggruen Gallery has presented multiple exhibitions featuring the artist’s work, including an important showing of the Picasso Album, a series of drawings and watercolors from 1970.

Berggruen Gallery is pleased to present The Human Form, a sweeping exploration of the human figure from the early 20th century to today. It will be the inaugural exhibition in its new space at 10 Hawthorne Street, across from the recently expanded San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Bringing together over 60 works by 20th century masters such as Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Lucian Freud, Alberto Giacometti, Edward Hopper, Willem de Kooning, Gerhard Richter, Richard Diebenkorn, and Wayne Thiebaud, as well as leading contemporary artists George Condo, Cecily Brown, Joel Shapiro, Antony Gormley, Kiki Smith and Kehinde Wiley, The Human Form will look at the formal and conceptual ways that artists have approached the representation of the figure. As Dr. Steven A. Nash writes, “The human body has been a lightning rod for creative imagination since humankind’s earliest impulses toward graphic representation. As the most common attribute of our shared humanity, it provides a powerful channel for empathetic communication of ideas, emotions, ideals, and beliefs. Throughout the history of image-making, the body has inspired countless varieties of interpretation, but it is safe to say that no other period of art history has seen the inventive, radical, and expressive explorations of this human vessel that characterize the modern era starting in the early 20th-century.”

The exhibition is the first in the gallery’s new space, and reflects the Berggruen’s interest in putting into conversation works of historical significance with contemporary pieces that grapple with the most pressing issues of our time. The gallery has a long history of exploring figuration through its exhibitions, and this show provides an in-depth look at the significant role the figure has played for artists over time, and the way it has been adapted throughout the narrative of 20th and 21st century art. The exhibition will be accompanied by an illustrated catalogue with an introductory essay by Dr. Steven A. Nash, Founding Director of the Nasher Sculpture Center, Chief Curator at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, and most recently, Director of the Palm Springs Art Museum.

Full Artist List

Milton Avery Lucian Freud Elizabeth Peyton
David Bates Alberto Giacometti Francis Picabia
Max Beckmann Antony Gormley Pablo Picasso
Michaël Borremans Edward Hopper Martin Puryear
Cecily Brown Chris Johanson Gerhard Richter
Christopher Brown Alex Katz Tom Sachs
Nick Cave Yves Klein Jenny Saville
Chuck Close Roy Lichtenstein Joel Shapiro
George Condo Henri Matisse Kiki Smith
James Crosby Barry McGee Wayne Thiebaud
Willem de Kooning Henry Moore Adriana Varejão
Richard Diebenkorn Nathan Oliveira Kara Walker
Peter Doig David Park Kehinde Wiley

The Human Form, January 13 – March 4, 2017. On view at 10 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 94105. Images and preview are available upon request. For further information, please contact the gallery by phone
(415) 781.4629 or by email info@berggruen.com. Gallery hours: Monday – Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.