Coral Springs Museum of Art opens its new gallery with 57 original Picasso prints

The Coral Springs Museum of Art, in Florida, officially moves into its new gallery in the heart of downtown, in the Cornerstone development at the corner of University Drive and Sample Road, and opens it with a big-name international exhibition: «Picasso: A Graphic Journey», with 57 original prints by Pablo Picasso, as the Florida Redevelopment Association announced. The opening ceremony is held on Friday, 9 October, from 17:30 to 20:30, with 10-dollar tickets (free for members, divided into one-hour slots), while on Saturday, 10 October the gallery opens its doors to the public with free entry from 10:00 to 17:00.

The inaugural collection brings works created between 1923 and 1972: etchings, lithographs, linocuts and a rare cancelled copper plate by Picasso, selected from the collection of Timothy Collins of Los Angeles and accompanied by an essay by curator Eric Mourlot. The most attractive point is the «Tête de Femme au Chapeau» series, which follows the same image through multiple proofs – from the first colour studies to the final composition – revealing step by step the master’s creative process. The exhibition stays open until 5 December, with the support of the Broward County Cultural Division.

The move marks a new chapter for the museum, which leaves its old address on Coral Springs Drive. The project cost about 3.4 million dollars – about 2 million from the city’s capital budget, 1 million from the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and about 500,000 dollars from the landlord and the tenant. The CRA will pay 179,300 dollars a year for the rent of the new space, with a 3 per cent increase every year until 2032.

The new space extends over 5,000 square feet of exhibition area, with a modern street-facing design, flexible gallery walls, a gift shop, a coffee corner and a creative studio. The city’s aim, according to officials, is for the museum to no longer remain a “hidden gem”, but to turn into a visible art and culture destination in the heart of downtown – exhibitions are already programmed until December 2028.

Alongside Picasso’s prints, the new gallery also exhibits «Cages and Collage» by local artist Janet Gold, open until 31 December. Friday’s opening will be accompanied by music in the gallery and a cash bar – the first big art party in the new downtown of Coral Springs.