NEW YORK – The Hispanic Society Museum & Library (HSM&L) – the primary institution dedicated to the preservation, study, understanding, exhibition and enjoyment of art and cultures of Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking countries and communities – announces phase one of its reopening with a robust 2023 programming lineup and exhibition schedule. With a focus on the commemoration of Joaquin Sorolla’s centennial, Jesus Rafael Soto’s centennial and Pablo Picasso’s semi-centennial, the institution will recognize the great Spanish artists with a series of exhibitions, lectures, concerts and receptions.

The Hispanic Museum & Library is now pursuing its most ambitious capital project in its history, upgrading its three landmark buildings and restoring the Audubon Terrace to maximize the potential of the organization’s vast resources, affording it the ability to better serve the surrounding community and increase its ability to welcome partnerships and collaborations with local and international partners. Under the leadership of CEO and Director Guillaume Kientz, the HSM&L will reopen its Main Court, Upper Terrace and the iconic Sorolla Gallery, Vision of Spain (1912-1919), in March 2023 as part of the commemoration of Sorolla’s centennial year. The Sorolla gallery houses 14 monumental paintings dedicated to Spain where the viewer is surrounded by the peoples, costumes and traditions of various regions of the country. The gallery is one of New York’s gems and a must-see, worthy of a special trip.

“This centennial year and reopening of the museum mark a watershed moment in the Hispanic Society’s
centuries-old history, bringing together some of the most important creative voices of the Hispanic world, and ushering them into our current culture,” said Chief Executive Officer of the Hispanic Society Museum & Library Guillaume Kientz. “We’re excited to introduce the museum to a new generation of art
enthusiasts and to welcome the community back through our doors to enjoy an incredible programming
roster.”

2023 exhibitions and events include the following:

January 17 – April 26
To kick off Joaquin Sorolla’s centennial celebration, the HSM&L presents A Masterpiece in the Making:
Joaquin Sorolla’s Gouaches for the Vision of Spain, a collaborative exhibition on view at the National Arts
Club. The exhibition, which opens during Master Drawings Week, commemorates the Valencian master
Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida — the preeminent artist in Spain at the turn of the 20th century — on the occasion of his centennial year. On view are Sorolla’s rarely-seen preparatory sketches for the paintings in the HSM&L’s Sorolla Gallery, Vision of Spain.

May 2023 – 2026
The HSM&L will celebrate the 100-year anniversary of Venezuelan artist Jesus Rafael Soto by
mounting the first ever Penetrable installation in New York City. Additional works by Soto will be installed in the HSM&L’s Main Court with additional related programming.

Jewels in a Gem: Luz Camino at the Hispanic Society Museum, May 18 – September 3
The HSM&L will present its first-ever jewelry exhibition by Spanish high jeweler Luz Camino in
the Sorolla gallery. This will be the artist’s first museum exhibition in the United States. Camino began her career as a jewelry maker and designer in 1973. This exhibition will celebrate not only her 50-year career, but also her unique design, exquisite craftsmanship and passion for unusual materials.

This exhibition will showcase the relation of her work to the Sorolla paintings within its magnificent space and also chronicle the trajectory of her work from the 1970s to today. Additional programs will highlight the amazing, yet still little known HSM&L’s own collection of historic jewelry. Finally, the exhibition will serve as the platform to debut her first-ever monograph, currently in development with Rizzoli.

Picasso and La Celestina as part of the Picasso Celebration 1973-2023: 50 exhibitions and events to celebrate Picasso, October 6, 2023 – January 7, 2024
April 8, 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Spanish artist Pablo Picasso, and thus the year
will represent the celebration of his work and his artistic legacy in France, Spain and internationally. The
French and Spanish governments wanted to carry out a large-scale transnational event through a
binational commission, bringing together the cultural and diplomatic administrations of the two countries.

The Picasso Celebration 1973-2023 revolves around some 50 exhibitions and events that will be held in
renowned cultural institutions in Europe and North America, and which together will comprise a
historiographical survey of approaches to Picasso’s work. The commemoration, punctuated by official
celebrations in France and Spain, will shine a light on the research and understanding of Picasso’s work,
notably during a major international symposium in autumn 2023, at the time of the opening of the Center for Picasso Studies in Paris. The Musee National Picasso-Paris and the Spanish National Commission for the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the death of Pablo Picasso also support this exceptional program.

As a part of this celebration, the HSM&L will kick off this event in New York City with Picasso and La Celestina, which will explore the relationship between Spanish painter Pablo Picasso and one of the most famous seminal novels in Spanish literature. Beyond this theme, the programming will address issues about Picasso’s relationship to literature, Spanish tradition, love and women. It will also raise timely questions about artists – or any person – in exile: “Where and what is home?” and, “Where do I belong?”

Visit the website of the Hispanic Society Museum & Library (HSM&L).