CURATOR'S STATEMENT

EXHIBITION FACTS AND FIGURES

FLOORPLAN

ROOM TEXT PANELS:

Section 1: Crisis
Section 2: Jacqueline
Section 3: La Californie
Section 4: Old Master Variations
Section 5: Travesties
Section 6: Artist and Model
Section 7: Pleasure and Desire
Section 8: Last Works

THE EXHIBITION: FACTS AND FIGURES

The exhibition

• 32 paintings
• 54 works on paper
• 86 works in total
• All works from the period 1953 to 1973, the last two decades of Picasso's life.

• 12 artworks from Australia:
  1 work from the Art Gallery of New South Wales permanent collection: Nude in a Rocking Chair 1956
  9 works from the National Gallery of Australia
  2 works from private collectors

• 34 works in total from private lenders (23 works from 1 private lender alone) worldwide
• 50 works in total from public institutions worldwide, including:
  Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam; Centre Georges Pompidou; Dallas Museum of Art; Detroit Institute of Fine Arts; Fondation Beyler; Fuji Television Gallery, Japan; Hakone Open Air Museum, Japan; Kunsthalle Bremen; Kunstmuseum Bern; Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Louisiana Museum of Art, Denmark; Metropolitan Museum of Art; Musee Picasso, Paris; Museo Nationale Centro De Arte Renia Sofia; Museu Picasso, Barcelona; Museum Ludwig Cologne; National Gallery of Australia; Philadelphia Museum of Art; Tate Gallery; Wadsworth Atheneum.
  > Web links

• 8 exhibition spaces organised into the following thematic categories:
  Crisis, Jacqueline, The studio at la Californie, Old master variations, Travesties, Artist and model, Memory and desire, Last works.

• The exhibition took 3 years from conception to the opening and will run for 14 weeks from Saturday 9 November 2002 to Sunday 16 February 2003
• Last major Picasso solo exhibition in Australia:
  Picasso (National Gallery of Victoria 28 July - 23 September 1984; Art Gallery of New South Wales 10 October - 2 December 1984)

• It is estimated that approximately 110,000 - 120,000 people or 1,200 people per day will attend the exhibition

The Exhibition Process: A timeline

3 years from exhibition opening:

• Gallery Director and exhibition Curator devise concept for the exhibition.
• Curator researches where all possible works by the artist are and whether there are other shows in development throughout the world on the artist, which the gallery may be competing against for possible loans.
• A list of works desired for the exhibition and their locations is compiled.
• Gallery Director and Curator send letters out to selected institutions in the world requesting appointments to view required artworks and discuss possible loans.
• The Exhibition Coordinator develops a draft budget for the entire process of generating and presenting the exhibition examining the feasibility of mounting the exhibition.
• Draft budget presented to Gallery Director and then Gallery Trustees Finance Committee.

2 years prior to the exhibition opening:

• Curator and the Director visit potential lenders, both public and private.
• Each meeting requires presentation of the curatorial thesis of the exhibition with the specific case for the inclusion of each artwork in the exhibition.
• During these meetings the curator is required to see the artwork and consider its condition and fitness for the exhibition. The decision as to whether to pursue the loan of that work is made accordingly.
• The Director, Curator and Exhibition Coordinator monitor all aspects of the negotiations in process.

1 year prior to exhibition opening:

• The Curator draws up a list of works constituting an 'ideal exhibition'.
• The works considered key to the exhibition are formally requested first. Securing these key works will assist with negotiations for additional loans
• Ideally, all loans are confirmed 6 -12 months prior to the exhibition opening.
• Potential writers for the catalogue are contracted.

6 months prior to exhibition opening:

• The Exhibition Coordinator liases with all gallery departments (Conservation, Registration, Public Programmes, Installation, Workshop, gallery Shop, Sponsorship, Marketing, Graphics) that will contribute to the development of the exhibition, devising strategies and finalising budgets.
• Only after the Gallery receives approvals in principle by lenders does the physical production of the exhibition catalogue begin.
• The Gallery sources transparencies from lenders of their artworks for reproduction in the catalogue and other printed material.
• The Graphic Services Department develops a design package for the exhibition including the look of the catalogue and a unifying concept for printed material.
• The Gallery Publications committee approves the proposed concept.
• The Public Programmes Department develops a range of educational programmes, resources and special events to complement the exhibition.
• The Workshop in conjunction with the Exhibition Coordinator and Curator design the exhibition spaces to allow the conceptual flow and physical movement through space. They also position the information panels, supplementary photographs, photomurals and the exhibition shop within the space.
• The Registration Department, in conjunction with their counterparts at lender sites around the world, organise condition reports on the artworks, packing and crating, insurance, transportation logistics and confirm the couriers who will accompany the work to its destination.
• Transport / freight schedules cannot be finalised until one month prior to exhibition opening.
• Press releases on the exhibition are distributed to the media.
• Discussions are held with the Bookshop Manager about appropriate stock for the exhibition.

1 month prior to the opening:

• Installation and Workshop Departments commence the installation process for the exhibition, which includes: demounting previous exhibition, re-build space according to its design (which can involve, building walls, rooms, painting walls etc.), install the new works, set lights and position text panels and graphics.
• Artworks loaned from around the arrive in Sydney, accompanied by Couriers.
• Works are installed and remain in situ for the duration of the exhibition.
• Works are condition-checked on arrival and departure.
• The Publicity Department engages the public with the exhibition.