Learning to paint at the Picasso Foundation in Malaga, Picasso’s birthplace

Contact Info for The Picasso Foundation

The Picasso Foundation in Malaga allows you to not only see Picasso’s birthplace, but to also attend painting workshops, like I did with Rusko

When I arrived to The Picasso Foundation in Malaga, I found out that I was the only blogger who would be participating in the activity, which was great, because it turned into a VIP visit and art making session.  I was told, however, that they can accommodate up to 20 people for an art session in their location in the Plaza de la Merced.  We had a guided tour of the house, which started by climbing the stairs to the second floor.  On the way we saw photographs of Picasso´s family in black and white.  Upstairs we saw the rooms of the house, however I was disappointed to see that they were not set up as if Picasso and his family were living there, but rather, they had glass cases set up with various artifacts.  I did not realize, but Picasso´s father was also a painter and he painted a lot of pictures of doves.  Hence, the famous painting by Picasso of the dove is a tribute to his father.  We also learned that Picasso used his mother´s last name (dropping Ruiz) when he signed his works because he felt a deeper connection to that side of the family.  This is a fact that I never understood before, but when you understand that in Spain the children receive both the last name of their father (the first) and the maiden name of their mother (the second)- you can see the significance of Pablo Ruiz Picasso using only his second last name.

After having seen the baptismal gown used by Picasso and some of the various things used by the family we entered a room dedicated to Picasso´s pottery.  Although Picasso is not known for his pottery so much as for being one of the innovators of the cubist style of painting, his pottery is unique in that he looked for a form in the pots and plates that he made and painted faces accordingly.  One plate that was particularly memorable had only a dot in the middle and was meant to be a woman´s breast shown backwards.  Another was a pitcher painted with a woman´s face and her ponytail was the handle.

In the lower level, there is a hall for temporary exhibits, which is more like a museum space.  We briefly viewed the current exhibition, but due to time constraints we continued on to the art workshop.  I should mention that there is also a small museum shop with various items that would be great as souvenirs or gifts.  I particularly liked a white necklace with large beads, some of which were in the shape of white roses.  It would definitely provoke a question or two about where you bought such a special necklace.  I always like jewelry with a good story behind where you found it!

In the art workshop (which is located in the same plaza) we were presented with various images of Picasso´s cubist paintings.  The art instructor of Art&Museum asked us to choose our favorite image, and then told us to sketch the same picture on a piece of white paper using just a pencil and an eraser.  Needless to say, this task proved more difficult than it sounds, as Picasso´s cubist forms are nothing if not complex.  Then, we were told to use the pencil and sketch the same image onto a small canvas.  Up to this point, the task was relatively simple, but then the more difficult part came into play: the paints!  We had to mix our own colors and experiment using more or less water to recreate the image and make our “own Picasso.”  In the end the art activity was relaxing and great fun.  The important part was to let go of our inhibitions about how we “couldn’t draw” or “paint.”

I also learned that the educational department and tourism council of Málaga are trying to expand their efforts to include more educational projects and work with the schools in Málaga in order to bring more kids into the museums.  I think it’s a great initiative because all it takes is one good experience with art, and being told that you have a talent to inspire a small child, or a grown woman.  I know I left the museum proud of my little work of art, and with a smile after having spent a great morning learning more about Picasso and sharpening my painting skills. We ruskommend a visit with 4 boquerones.

Information about The Picasso Foundation

Ruskommendation for The Picasso Foundation: 4 boquerones

Ruskommendations: Learn more about how we score the places

• Address: Plaza de la Merced, 15, 29012 Málaga, Spain
• Telephone: +34 951 92 60 607
• Price: Birth Place Museum (Plaza de la Merced,15), with audioguide: 2€; Temporal Exhibit (Sala de exposiciones in Plaza de la Merced, 13), with audioguide: 2 €; Combo with both options plus audioguide: 3 €; Free on Sunday
• Hours: From 9:30am to 8:00pm h every day, including holidays; Closed: January 1st, December 25th and Tuesdays between November and March; Last entrance 15 before the closing
• The Picasso Foundation, reviewed by Abby Ramirez on Dic 8, with a rating of 4.0 boquerones