Picasso on Crete: The Joy of Life Exhibition

Though Pablo Picasso’s art is commonly associated with his most groundbreaking contributions to modern art, his playful, experimental works and his fascination with mythological motifs have been much less explored. This is precisely what the exhibition Picasso on Crete: Joy of Life aims to do, in a setting that underscores in the best possible way how the timeless beauty of ancient Greek art resonated with the artist’s exuberant creativity.

Housed in the Eleutherna Archaeological Museum between the 5th of July and the 20th of October 2024, the exhibition consists of 62 works of art juxtaposed to the museum’s own permanent collection, creating a fruitful dialogue between the ancient and the modern. It is curated by Professor Christos Stampolidis, the current director of the Acropolis Museum, and Paloma Picasso, the artist’s daughter, comprising drawings and paintings, as well as small sculptures, ceramics and wood carvings that reflect the joy of inspiration through the transformation of everyday materials and scenes into art.

Among the highlights of the exhibition is a series of works inspired by the Minotaur and other mythical creatures like Satyrs and Fauns, which express the dynamic but also sensual and erotic dimension of nature and art.