Pablo Picasso A Formative Encounter: African and Oceanic Artists and Picasso

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Left: Pablo Picasso, "Portrait de Jacqueline en robe Imprimée," 1962,

linocut printed in colours, 35 x 27 cm. Collection of Remai Modern. Gift of the Frank and Ellen Remai Foundation, 2012. © Picasso Estate / SOCAN (2021). Right: Unrecorded Yoruba (?) artist (Nigeria), "mask," probably 20th century, wood, pigment. The Mendel Art Gallery Collection at Remai Modern. Bequest of Nicholas S. Gyenes 1985.

A Formative Encounter: African and Oceanic Artists and Picasso, looks at Picasso through the lens of the non-European art that influenced his practice. Drawn entirely from Remai Modern’s collection, it explores Picasso’s formal vocabulary in relationship to that of African and Oceanic artists. 

“The connections between non-European art forms and the work of Picasso has been a long time interest for me. It was wonderful to discover that Remai Modern’s collection includes some wonderful African masks as well as carved objects from Papua New Guinea. It’s been a pleasure to have the opportunity to explore this relationship so early in my tenure at the museum,” said Michelle Jacques, Remai Modern’s Head of Exhibitions & Collections/Chief Curator.

This marks Jacques’ first curatorial project at Remai Modern since she joined the organizaion in February. In the exhibition, Oceania is represented by a group of sculptures from Papua New Guinea purchased by the Mendel Art Gallery in 1974. Africa is represented by two masks that entered the collection with little information. These works were both bequeathed to the museum by University of Saskatchewan art history Professor Nicholas S. Gyenes in 1985. 

Here, works by Picasso and artists from Papua New Guinea and West Africa are juxtaposed, inviting us to look at visual connections. It is surprising, but fortuitous, that decades before the Frank and Ellen Remai Foundation’s generous donation of our treasured Picasso collection, the Mendel Art Gallery acquired these African and Oceanic works. A Formative Encounter also allows us to reflect on why these works are in our collection and consider how we can be more accountable to their care.