M+ Special Exhibition ‘The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Picasso for Asia—A Conversation’

M+, Asia’s global museum of contemporary visual culture in the West Kowloon Cultural District (WestK) in Hong Kong, proudly presents The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Picasso for Asia—A Conversation. The Special Exhibition is a rich intercultural and intergenerational dialogue between more than sixty masterpieces by Spanish artist Pablo Picasso (1881–1973) from the Musée national Picasso-Paris (MnPP), which holds the largest collection of works by Picasso in the world, and around 130 works by thirty Asian and Asian-diasporic artists from the M+ Collections, and select loans from a museum, a foundation, and private collections. Co-organised by M+ and MnPP, this exhibition is a significant milestone in which masterpieces from MnPP are being shown alongside works from a museum collection in Asia for the first time. It is also the first major showcase of Picasso’s works in Hong Kong in over a decade, offering an unprecedented and unique perspective on the artist’s wide-reaching influence and what it means to be an artist in our time. The exhibition will open to the public in the M+ West Gallery from Saturday, 15 March to Sunday, 13 July 2025.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Picasso for Asia—A Conversation is co-presented by M+ and French May Arts Festival as the opening programme of the French May Arts Festival 2025. It is generously supported by the Title Sponsor, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust; the Major Sponsors, HSBC, Cathay, C C Land, and Chubb Life; supported by 1O1O, and The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, and financiallysupported by the Mega Arts and Cultural Events Fund under the Culture, Sports, and Tourism Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government.

Co-curated by Doryun Chong, Artistic Director and Chief Curator, M+, and François Dareau, Research Fellow, MnPP, supported by Hester Chan, Curator, Collections, M+, the exhibition poses an interpretative framework for examining the works of the twentieth-century European master in relation to contemporary Asian and Asian-diasporic artists active today and in the recent past.

Major works by Picasso on view at the exhibition include some of the best-known icons in the MnPP collection such as Portrait of a Man (1902–1903), The Acrobat (1930), Figures by the Sea (1931), Large Still Life with Pedestal Table (1931), Portrait of Dora Maar (1937), Massacre in Korea (1951), and the sculptural series The Bathers (1956). Picasso’s art is presented alongside works by artists in the M+ Collections as a dialogue, such as Isamu Noguchi (American, 1904–1988), Luis Chan (Hong Kong, 1905–1995), Gu Dexin (Chinese, born 1962), Nalini Malani (Indian, born 1946), Tanaami Keiichi (Japanese, 1936–2024), andHaegue Yang (Korean, born 1971), as well as new artist commissions by Simon Fujiwara (British, born 1982) and Sin Wai Kin (Canadian, born 1991).

This Special Exhibition introduces four artist archetypes that encapsulate why Picasso is considered the quintessential twentieth-century artist and how the legacy of his art and life continues to influence contemporary artists as well as the public to this day. The four archetypes also serve as the sections of the exhibition and as powerful paradigms to which the contemporary Asian artists in the exhibition respond in their diverse, individualistic practices.

The Genius: From a young age, those around Picasso affirmed his reputation as a child prodigy. Picasso, aware of the power of genius, would often deliberately portray himself as a mythological figure with superhuman abilities in his works. Despite his success, Picasso continued to produce and experiment relentlessly until his final years, as if needing to prove his brilliance to the very end. While there is no simple answer as to why and how Picasso became the archetypal artist-genius, his self-mythologising invites further reflection on why we need our artists to be geniuses.

The Outsider: Artists sometimes take on the role of the outsider to challenge societal norms. For much of his career, Picasso rebelled against established artistic traditions and styles, and chose to depict people at the margins of society. He co-founded Cubism, an artistic movement that upended representational painting, and appropriated diverse cultures and artistic heritages, particularly African art. Picasso insisted on constantly changing his own style, even when it provoked rejection or outrage.

The Magician: Picasso’s favourite subjects were the people, objects, and interiors of his immediate surroundings. With a magical touch, he would transform ordinary objects into unforgettable works of art. In his later years, Picasso began to make ceramics, crafting whimsical plates, vases, and figurines. These pieces, placed alongside the works of contemporary artists from the M+ Collections, highlight Picasso’s magical touch that reveals the exceptional in everyday life.

The Apprentice: Picasso frequently learned and borrowed from the artists and makers who came before him. He found inspiration in their works and, in his own way, sought to compete with them. This section shows Picasso drawing upon a broad range of periods and styles from Western art history. His approach to history was always deliberate, whether referencing specific genres, reinterpreting masterpieces, or blending different styles into a single work. It is the apprentice within Picasso that made him the icon he is today—eager to learn, experiment, and, ultimately, surpass his predecessors.

Suhanya Raffel, Museum Director, M+, says, ‘We are excited to partner with MnPP for this pioneering exhibition examining Pablo Picasso’s remarkable body of work. The exhibition demonstrates how cross-cultural collaboration can create new narratives and perspectives that enrich discussions in world art history, highlighting M+’s distinctive role in promoting multifaceted dialogues around modern and contemporary visual culture. We share with MnPP the intention and desire to build an intellectually daring conversation across times, places, and cultures, built on scholarly research.’

Cécile Debray, President, Musée national Picasso-Paris, says, ‘Pablo Picasso is one of the most famous artists in modern art history. Offering a circular look at his legacy, examined from a contemporary Asian perspective decentred from the Western point of view, this exhibition is an unprecedented proposal. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Picasso for Asia—A Conversation is borne of an innovative and inclusive partnership with M+ based on a genuine exchange of knowledge, skills, and expertise. The groundbreaking exhibition echoes the collaboration between MnPP and M+ and proposes a new methodology and a bold narrative, serving as a wonderful way to continue our work of expanding Picasso’s audience and questioning his reception and artistic legacy.’

Doryun Chong, Artistic Director and Chief Curator, M+, and exhibition co-curator, says, ‘The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Picasso for Asia—A Conversation examines the enduring legacy of Pablo Picasso, whose work continues to captivate global audiences more than fifty years after his death. We present a rich and critical dialogue with great resonance for both institutions, and for world art history, as the exhibition delves into deeply pertinent questions relevant not only to Asia and the West but to the world. It is a cross-cultural and artistic conversation highlighting Picasso’s enduring influence and relevance in contexts far from the places where he lived and the cultures and politics that shaped his work. The exhibition understands influence and relevance in complex ways that can be also productively critical.’

Xavier Mahé, Executive Director of the French May Arts Festival, says, ‘The French May Arts Festival is proud to collaborate with the esteemed M+ and the prestigious MnPP, joining forces to showcase an array of masterpieces by Picasso from MnPP’s significant repository alongside notable works by Asian and Asian-diasporic artists from the M+ Collections. This collaboration epitomises the festival’s unwavering commitment to enriching cultural exchange, fostering a profound and dynamic dialogue between France and Hong Kong, and celebrating the long-lasting artistic wonders of French culture and heritage.’

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust is proud to continue its longstanding partnership with the French May Arts Festival, being a Major Partner since 2012. The exhibition is also part of the Club’s 140th anniversary activities. With Sports and Culture being one of the priority areas of the Club’s charities strategy, the Club is dedicated to enhancing the cultural fabric of Hong Kong by supporting a diverse range of arts and cultural initiatives, and supporting the Central Government’s vision outlined in the National 14th Five-Year Plan, which seeks to develop Hong Kong into a centre for East-meets-West international cultural exchange. The Club’s support for the French May Arts Festival, like all of its charity donations, is made possible by its unique integrated business model through which racing and wagering generate tax contributions, charity support and employment opportunities for the community.

Public programmes and self-guided Family Kit 

Exclusively sponsored by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, M+ and the French May Arts Festival will co-present a series of Jockey Club Community Outreach and Arts Education Programmes throughout the exhibition period. These include free family drop-in events, primary and secondary school tours for teachers and students, and special visits for non-governmental organisations. On the opening day, Saturday, 15 March 2025, M+ will host a free public talk Jockey Club Community Outreach and Arts Education Programmes: Pablo Picasso in 2025 by Cécile Debray, President of Musée national Picasso-Paris, who will speak about the reception of Picasso in today’s cultural climate. Debray will then be joined by Suhanya Raffel, Museum Director, M+, to discuss how the new exhibition adds to our understanding of Picasso.

Visitors to the exhibition can enjoy a free audio guide that explores artworks by Picasso and Asian artists in the M+ Collections. In addition to the audio guide, there are videos and an interactive drawing station that offer new ways for audiences to learn about Picasso and express their creativity. A Family Kit is also available, offering a guided experience through the exhibition with activities designed to encourage curiosity, inspiration, and learning.

Screenings of Jockey Club Community Outreach and Arts Education Programmes: Picasso on Film—The Making of an Icon

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Complementing the exhibition, M+ Cinema presents Jockey Club Community Outreach and Arts Education Programmes: Picasso on Film—The Making of an Icon, featuring a selection of films exploring Picasso’s life and work, and how he crafted his image for a global audience. The films include Guernica (1950) by Alain Resnais, The Mystery of Picasso (1956) by Henri-Georges Clouzot, Minotauromaquia (2004) by Juan Pablo Etcheverry, and On the French Riviera with Man Ray and Picasso (2021) by François Lévy-Kuentz, and more.

Exhibition merchandise

Published by Thames & Hudson in collaboration with M+, the exhibition monograph Picasso/Asia: A Conversation presents extensive original research on Picasso’s legacy and how his art was received, adapted, and critiqued across the region. It includes essays by Doryun Chong and François Dareau, and a visual chronology of Picasso in Asia by Hester Chan. The 240-page book features 216 illustrations and is available in English and Traditional Chinese. It is now available for purchase in the exhibition shop located at West Gallery, The M+ Shop and online.

The M+ Shop has produced a series of merchandise inspired by Picasso’s work, including T-shirts, magnets, tote bags, folders, pouches, mugs, and more. The M+ Shop is also offering an exclusive collection of collaborative products featuring Tanaami Keiichi. For more product highlights, please refer to the enclosed image sheet.

Ticketing arrangements

Tickets to the Special Exhibition The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Picasso for Asia—A Conversation are available for online purchase via the M+ website, WestK website, WestK App, Cityline, China Travel Service (Hong Kong) Limited, Fliggy, Klook, KKday, and Trip.com. Tickets are HKD 240 for adults and HKD 120 for visitors eligible for concessions*. Visitors with Special Exhibition tickets can also access the Special Exhibition Guo Pei: Fashioning Imagination and all M+ General Admission exhibitions starting from Saturday, 15 March 2025. Kid and Adult Combo Tickets are also available for this exhibition at HKD 300 for one adult and one child, or HKD 480 for two adults and one child. For more information on ticketing arrangements, please visit the M+ website.

*Concession tickets are available for full-time students, children ages 7 to 11, senior citizens ages 60 and above, persons with disabilities and one companion, and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients.

M+ Membership

M+’s annual membership and patron membership offer an exclusive experience of contemporary visual culture for people of all ages and backgrounds. All M+ Members with valid memberships can enjoy three free admission vouchers to Special Exhibitions throughout the membership year, including The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Picasso for Asia—A Conversation and Guo Pei: Fashioning Imagination. Meanwhile, M+ Patrons can enjoy unlimited free admission to all exhibitions with up to three guests per visit. M+ Members and Patrons can also enjoy exclusive previews to Special Exhibitions prior to public opening and thirty to fifty per cent discounts on Special Exhibition tickets. Other membership benefits include unlimited free access to General Admission exhibitions, exclusive access to the M+ Lounge with accompanying guests, M+ Private Viewing, invitation to exclusive events, as well as dining and retail discounts. For more information, please visit the M+ website.