Spanish modern art is being showcased in Korea extensively, featuring modern masters such as Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro and Salvador Dali and other famous contemporary artists.

Two separate art exhibitions offer a comprehensive overview of Picasso’s artistic world at the Incheon Culture and Arts Center, and modern and contemporary Spanish artists at Seongnam Arts Center, shedding light on their works, which have made great contributions to modern and contemporary art in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Major collections of Picasso from the Picasso’s Foundation in Malaga, Spain have arrived for the first time in Asia. From its collection of some 800 works, the foundation has brought about 200, which are composed of the artist’s print works, drawings and ceramic works. 

His famous oil paintings were excluded due to logistics and safety problems, according to organizers of the Picasso Foundation, established by the city government of Malaga in 1988. Malaga is the place where Picasso was born and spent his teenage years.

“It has been 25 years since the Picasso Foundation was established. We have held exhibitions in 12 countries, but this is the first time we brought an extensive range of artworks of Picasso,” said Mario Virgilio Montaneaz Arroyo, chief curator of Picasso Foundation, Museo Casa Natal, at the press conference on Thursday in Seoul.

Some of the highlights include print works featuring faces of Picasso’s lovers and women. Picasso is known to have created more than 2,000 print works using diverse techniques and materials.

“The exhibition is special because the collection is from the birthplace of Picasso,” said Lee Seung-mi, director of the Incheon Art Platform, during the press conference.

The exhibition offers a broad view of Picasso’s works made from 1905-1971 in 14 sections. Some of the highlights include portraits of his two spouses, Francoise and Jacqueline. Female portraits have been a favorite theme for the artist who also made print and ceramic works of female images. The exhibition also includes nude drawings, portraits of men, still life and drawings of animals. 

Influenced by Picasso, many Spanish modern and contemporary artists have left significant footprints in the international art scene.

A comprehensive exhibition of Spanish modern and contemporary art at Seongnam Arts Center shows how Spanish modernism was shaped after Picasso and progressed into diverse formats in contemporary art.

Antoni Clave, one of the most celebrated artists famous for his abstract work and “Homage a Picasso” series in 1980s, has developed a distinct artistic character in abstract work incorporating various styles of engravings, collages, paintings.

Spain also saw the rise of other modern and contemporary artists such as Antoni Tapies whose efforts have contributed to elevating the reputation of Spanish art to the global level Antonio Saura, who introduced Informel art in Spain and whose works expressed resistance to the authoritarian dictatorship of Francisco Franco who ruled from 1938-1973.

In 1955, Spain saw another talented artist, Jaume Plensa, whose sculptural works are now on exhibit at major public spaces throughout the world, including “The Crown Fountain” in Chicago’s Millennium Park.

The exhibition “Picasso De Malaga, Picasso Absoluto” runs from July 6-Sept. 22 at the Incheon Culture and Arts Center and from Oct. 1-Nov. 24 at Seoul Arts Center.

The Spanish modern and contemporary art exhibition continues through Sept. 1 at Seongnam Arts Center in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province.

By Lee Woo-young (wylee@heraldcorp.com)