Bearden/Picasso: Rhythms and Reverberations sheds light on Romare Bearden and Pablo Picasso’s shared interests and approaches to making art. It is organized into four themes: bulls and bullfights, music and rhythm, doorways and windows, and line and color.

The exhibition puts a selection of Bearden’s collages, prints, and rarely seen 1940s paintings into dialogue with Picasso’s work, which inspired the younger artist and many others in his generation. Bearden’s art processed the influence of Cubism—which also used collage and often looked to African art for models of abstraction—along with African American cultural traditions such as quilting and jazz improvisation.

Just as Picasso deeply inspired Bearden, Bearden himself was a legendary influence on 20th-century music, art, and social and political movements. Throughout his life he advocated for other African American artists through his published writings and role in establishing new galleries, museums, and other organizations to support their work. Bearden’s legacy continues to inspire younger generations of American artists who seek to incorporate social justice into the arts.

Bearden/Picasso: Rhythms and Reverberations was curated by Jonathan Stuhlman, PhD, Senior Curator of American Art at the Mint Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina. Its presentation in Jackson, Mississippi, is sponsored by the Robert M. Hearin Support Foundation, Mike Espy PLLC, Hope Credit Union, and Denise and Bob Owens. This exhibition is the 19th Presentation of the Annie Laurie Swaim Hearin Exhibition Series.

Bearden/Picasso: Rhythms and Reverberations is on view concurrently with Picasso Landscapes: Out of Bounds.