Two exhibitions at St James Cavalier in Valletta will focus on Picasso’s famous painting Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, transforming the art centre with multimedia works of art. The Philosophical Brothel (19 May – 17 June) in the Upper Galleries is being curated by Raphael Vella and will show work by Caesar Attard, Ruth Bianco, Les Bicknell, Isabelle Borg with Graham Cooper, Vince Briffa, Savio Deguara, FA + (Gustavo Aguerre and Ingrid Falk), Patrick Fenech, Pierre Portelli and Raphael Vella. It is being supported by BOV, Moderna Museet, St James Cavalier and the Faculty of Education (UOM).

In the main hall and adjacent areas of St James Cavalier, Picasso’s Laboratory (20 May –17 June) will show work by Edukarti, fourth year Art students from the Faculty of Education, in collaboration with students from the MA Book Arts programme at Camberwell College of Arts in London. The participants are Leanne Bell, Emma Bishop, Katia Borg Sant, Eleanor Cardwell, Ian Karl Coleiro, Sarah Hamdar, Liz Helman, Jina Lee, Lora Little, Maddi Magata, Alexia Mercieca, Holly Ormrod, Nastassia Page, Stas Prouglo, Aga Ratajska, Adrian Scicluna, Carmen Sultana, Rachel Theuma, Victoria Vella and Fiorella Zammit. Picasso’s Laboratory is supported by BOV, Camberwell College of Arts, Faculty of Education (UOM), MCCA, St James Cavalier, Galea’s Art studio, JB Stores, Compleet, Nexos and VFM.

These exhibitions will be followed on Monday 21 May by a talk at 7pm at St James Cavalier by FA+, a Swedish couple who have exhibited internationally. In mid-June, a final exhibition of children’s art inspired by Picasso’s work will be shown also at St James Cavalier. This is being organised by the Art programme of the Faculty of Education in collaboration with primary and secondary schools.