Madrid is set to host many of the activities featured in Celebration Picasso 1973-2023, a programme put together by the French and Spanish governments to honor the occasion. April 8, 2023 marks the 50th death anniversary of Pablo Picasso, one of the most famous Spanish artists of the 20th century. The celebration seeks to showcase the career of the European artist who had the enormous influence on 20th century art and worked in an unprecedented variety of styles.
The Embassy of Spain with the Spain Tourism Board, recently previewed several landmark activities and travel packages to mark the 50th Picasso year.
In a glitzy affair held at the Gallery By Chele, embassy officials, travel trade professionals, foreign delegates, luminaries, art lovers, and media enjoyed the culinary creations of Spanish Chef Chele Gonzalez while listening to the invitation of Spanish Ambassador to the Philippines H.E. Miguel Utray Delgado, a presentation by Spain Tourism Board’s Monica Sanchez, and viewing some reproductions of the artist’s more than a hundred thousand paintings, prints, and engravings.
Pablo Picasso was born in Malaga, Spain on 25 October 1881, and died in the French town of Mougins in 8 April 1973. He is one of the most famous painters in the history of Western Art, his free, expressive and multi-faceted artistic language continues to influence contemporary art and thinking.
Across Spain
In discovering Spain throughout the well-known artist Pablo Picasso’s spectacular artworks, travel being the key, Spain Tourism unveiled some programs such as the Across Spain with its 7 nights Malaga-Barcelona-Madrid tour.
The tour itinerary highlights his birthplace in Malaga on Day 1 & 2 in the major coastal city of Andalucia, Costa del Sol, to explore the famous square of La Merced, and visit the Picasso Museum of Malaga holding 200 works, following a panoramic guided tour. Day 3&4 will be In Barcelona, a visit to Picasso Museum to observe Barcelona’s significant impact on the artist in his artwork exhibited in the museum. A guided tour will bring you around the city and to the Gothic Cathedral. Day 5 will be an excursion to Montserrat, a holy mountain of Catalonia which houses the revered image of the black virgin. On Day 6/7 will be a continuing exploration of Picasso’s artwork in Madrid where he spent some time to study. The main highlight is the visit to Reina Sofia National Art Museum to capture the 100 works of Picasso, among which the well-known “Guernica” painting is displayed. Those taking this tour will have the chance to discover this cosmopolitan city and the legacy of centuries history of the city such as Gran Via, Plaza Mayor, Plaza de Espana, Royal Plaza, Puerta del Sol. and the visit to Prado Museum. To end this ends this 8D/7N Across Spain journey will be walking tour to Puerta de Alcala, Columbus Square, Paseo de La Castellana, and Fountain of Cibeles. More info can be seen in the website www.across-spain.es or info@across-spain.es.
Footsteps of the Grandmaster
As no reproduction can do justice to the original, Spain Tourism has focused on tour itineraries of Spanish cities hosting the event. Each itinerary provides opportunities to acquaint travelers to the artist’s life and original works besides enjoying the tourist attractions of Spain.
A longer itinerary of the Footsteps of the Grandmaster in Spain (13D/12N), that visits Barcelona, Malaga, A Coruña, Santiago de Compostela, Bilbao, and Madrid, a journey to all those places that marked Picasso’s life—from formative years, his first exhibition at the age of 13, to the bombing of which inspired Picasso’s “Guernica”, up to where he stepped foot inside Prado Museum in Madrid for the first time—deserved a more immersive itinerary. You may check website www.basquecountry-Spain-dmc.com or email gorka@basquecountry-spain-dmc.com for the detailed itinerary.
Spain Tourism Board (www.spain.info) encourages Filipino travel agents to take advantage of the Picasso year as a once-in-a- lifetime advantage for those who love to travel and experience not just destinations but arts and culture.