To celebrate Pablo Picasso’s personal collection and its Richmond arrival, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is hosting an Opening Night Benefit on Saturday, February 19.
The landmark exhibition, Picasso: Masterpieces from the Musée National Picasso, Paris, opens on February 19 and continues through May 15, 2011.
Attendees will be the first to support one of the most important exhibitions in VMFA’s history. The opportunity to witness the 176 masterpieces is extraordinary, but tickets are limited. Guests will be able to view the exhibition at any point throughout the evening, as well as dance to the lively music of the Washington, D.C., band Marquise. The evening’s fare will include tapas and the décor will evoke a bright, Spanish flair.
About the Benefit:
• DATE: Saturday, Feb. 19
• TIME: 7 – 11 p.m.
• TICKET: Limited tickets, $250 per person
• ATTIRE: Creative cocktail
• RSVP: Tickets are available for purchase on Monday, Jan. 31at www.vmfa.museum/benefit
• ADDITIONAL: Cocktails, tapas and dancing will be featured in the Atrium with the entire museum open for guests to enjoy.
About the Exhibition:
VMFA is the only East Coast venue for the exhibition. In addition to showcasing some of Picasso’s most outstanding works, the exhibition tells a compelling story about the development of the artist’s career, his artistic inspirations and his profound impact on modern art.
The unique opportunity to exhibit Picasso’s work at this time is possible because the Musée Picasso National in Paris is closed for renovations until 2012, allowing for a global tour of this full-scale survey to travel for the first, and possibly only, time.
In addition, VMFA is hosting a black tie dinner for exhibition sponsors on Wednesday, Feb. 16.
Picasso: Masterpieces from the Musée National Picasso, Paris
• TITLE: Picasso: Masterpieces from Musée National Picasso, Paris
• ORGANIZER: Musée National Picasso, Paris
• DATES: Feb. 19, 2011 – May 15, 2011. VMFA is open seven days a week.
• CURATOR: Anne Baldassari, Chairman, Musée National Picasso, Paris
• ITINERARY: Athenaeum Art Museum, Helsinki; Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow; State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg; Seattle Art Museum; VMFA, Fine Art Museums of San Francisco. One additional non-US venue is yet to be announced.
• NUMBER OF WORKS: 176
• ADMISSION: $20; Admission is free for VMFA members and children ages 6 and under. Discounts are available at $16 for seniors 65+, students with ID, groups 10+, and ages 7–17.
• CATALOG: Full color, 272 pp, 193 illustrations
• PRESENTING SPONSOR: Altria Group
• ADDITIONAL SPONSORS: The official airline partner is Delta Air Lines. Media Sponsors are the Richmond Times-Dispatch and WWBT12 NBC.
About the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
With a collection of art that spans the globe and more than 5,000 years, plus a wide array of special exhibitions, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) is recognized as one of the top comprehensive art museums in the United States. The museum’s permanent collection encompasses more than 22,000 works of art, including the largest public collection of Fabergé outside Russia and one of the nation’s finest collections of American art. VMFA is home to acclaimed collections of English Silver and Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, British Sporting and Contemporary art, as well as renowned South Asian, Himalayan and African art. In May 2010, VMFA opened its doors to the public after a transformative expansion, the largest in its 75-year history. Programs include educational activities and studio classes for all ages, plus fun after-hours events. VMFA’s Statewide Partnership program includes traveling exhibitions, artist and teacher workshops, and lectures across the Commonwealth. General admission is always free. For additional information, telephone 804-340-1400 or visit www.vmfa.museum