Five ways to experience NGV Friday Nights and The Picasso Century

Pablo Picasso is a name synonymous with modern art. This year, the NGV’s exhibition The Picasso Century brings more than 80 of Picasso’s works to Melbourne alongside 100+ works of his contemporaries. The exhibit is organised into 12 thematic sections that explore the distinct periods that shaped Picasso’s life and seven-decade career.

The exhibition coincides with the return of NGV Friday Nights, which offers after-hours access to the exhibit, accompanied by an exciting program of live music each week. Here are five ways to make the most of a Friday night at this blockbuster show.

_{Photograph: Sean Fennessy}

1. Check out these exhibition highlights

The Picasso Century draws work from leading French collections as well as the NGV’s own, collectively telling the story of the artist’s career and enormous influence.

‘The Matador’ (1970), painted three years before Picasso’s death, exemplifies Picasso as a true innovator. Even in the throes of old age, he continued to experiment with new and original styles of expression. This body of work from a lesser-known period of the artist’s career is full of freshness and vitality.

_{Wifredo Lam, 'Untitled' 1942 gouache on paper 105.0 x 83.0 cm 127.0 x 104.5 cm (framed) Centre Pompidou, Paris, Musée national d’art moderne - Centre de création industrielle Purchase, 1980 © Wifredo Lam. ADAGP/Copyright Agency, 2022 | Photograph: © RMN - Grand Palais (Musée national Picasso - Paris) / Mathieu Rabeau} 

Picasso's influence can be seen in ‘Untitled, 1942’, painted by his mentee, Wifredo Lam. Born in Cuba to a Chinese father and a Congolese-Iberian mother, Lam combines Picasso’s stylistic touches with inspiration from his own heritage to create a unique contribution to the surrealist genre. 

_{Pablo Picasso, 'Portrait of Olga in an Armchair ( Portrait d’Olga dans un fauteuil ) spring 1918' oil on canvas 130.0 x 88.8 cm Musée national Picasso - Paris Donated in lieu of tax, 1979 © Succession Picasso/Copyright Agency, 2022 | Photograph: © RMN - Grand Palais (Musée national Picasso - Paris) / Mathieu Rabeau}

‘Portrait of Olga in an Armchair’ (1918) depicts Russian ballet dancer and Picasso's soon-to-be first wife, Olga Khokhlova. This portrait from Picasso’s neoclassical era represents an intimate insight into the artist’s life. Although the scratchings of colour around the painting suggests that the work is unfinished, Picasso made the curious decision to exhibit the work as-is.

_{Photograph: Eugene Hyland}

2. Dine at the Bar Lourinhã restaurant takeover 

Evoking the flavours of Picasso’s homeland, Bar Lourinhã will take over the NGV’s Garden restaurant in a celebration of the exhibit. Combining local produce with an authentic taste of Iberia, this pop-up is an opportunity to fully immerse yourself in the world of Picasso. Set menu highlights include manzanilla-braised beef cheek with almonds, and blood orange crema and burnt orange caramel for dessert. An à la carte menu featuring a selection of tapas will also be available, offering an unforgettable taste of Andalusia, open for lunch daily as well as NGV Friday Nights. 

_{Ngaiire | Photograph: Jeremy Kees}

3. Listen to an exciting live music line-up 

NGV Fridays will feature live-music performances each week from a diverse array of musicians. Look out for Polito, a collaboration between techno musicians Robert Downie and Finnian Langham and dancers Arabella Frahn-Starkie and Hillary Goldsmith. Melbourne artist Sweet Whirl, aka Esther Edquist, released a romantic yet sardonic debut album How Much Works in 2020 and will showcase her knowing sense of song craft. Japanese multi-instrumentalist Elle Shimada promises to pull together a grab-bag of genres for a spellbinding session. Surprise Chef will cook up an exciting blend of jazz-funk and ’70s soul, and Harvey Sutherland’s DJ set will fill the room with his signature blend of bubbly electronics and otherworldly sounds.

_{Photograph: Jeremy Kees}

4. Enjoy an arty tipple

A glass of wine is a classic accompaniment to any gallery visit. Bar offerings at the NGV will include the Yering Station Wine Bar, serving up fine wines from the Yarra Valley. If sparkling is more your style, the Pommery Champagne Bar in the Gallery Kitchen will have Pommery Pops on offer, along with a Mediterranean-inspired menu of share plates.

_{Photograph: Jeremy Kees}

5. Rug up at the Garden Terrace Bar

Melbourne winters can be tough. That’s why the NGV’s Garden Terrace Bar has created a setup involving all things hygge. With mulled wine to sip by the heaters and blankets to cosy up under while you watch the stars, the NGV's terrace bar is making the chilly nights much more pleasant to embrace.

NGV Friday Nights runs alongside The Picasso Century until October 7. View the full line-up and book tickets here.