Picasso Museum, Malaga

On a recent trip to Spain we were able to visit the Picasso Museum in Malaga before catching our return flight.  And what a wonderful museum it is.  Although he soon moved away from Spain Picasso's relationship with the city of his birth was nostalgic.  He was keen that some of his work should be exhibited in Malaga.  This came to fruition through the generosity of his daughter-in-law and his grandson.  The museum contains a range of his work through his life and some of his iconic pieces such as the Three Graces from 1923.  I particularly enjoyed the work that he completed from the 1930s to the end of his life.  I find it full of colour, joy and fun, although there are more traumatic pieces that deal with war and suffering.  One piece that I particularly enjoyed, being a cyclist, was his bull's head made from a cycle seat and handlebars.

I found some of his quotes especially illuminating:-

• Everything is unique, nature never portrays the same thing twice;
• I have not painted war because I am not the kind of painter who goes in search of a theme like a photographer, but I have no doubt that war is in these paintings I have done;
• My old paintings no longer interest me.  I am far more curious about those I have not yet done. (when he was over 90!)
• Art work needs viewers.  A picture only lives for the person looking at it.