'Pablo-matic': Why is Hannah Gadsby's Picasso exhibition copping so much criticism?

The Australian comedian's Pablo Picasso exhibition has caused a stir in the art world. Here's why.

Australian comedian Hannah Gadsby has curated an exhibition that critiques Pablo Picasso, but it's attracted criticism of its own. Source: AAP

Key Points

• 'It’s Pablo-matic: Picasso According to Hannah Gadsby' examines the artist’s complicated legacy.
• Some art critics have been scathing in their reviews of the exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum.
• Gadsby has been accused of having a “disregard for art history”.

Australian comedian Hannah Gadsby’s curatorial take on famed painter Pablo Picasso has caused controversy in the art world.

Gadsby, who shot to international fame with Emmy-winning Netflix special Nanette, which touched on Picasso’s misogynistic behaviour, has put together an exhibition currently on show at the Brooklyn Museum in New York.

'It’s Pablo-matic: Picasso According to Hannah Gadsby' examines the Spanish artist’s complicated legacy through a feminist lens.

A number of critics have been scathing in their reviews of the exhibition, saying the show does little to bring the focus to female artists who may have been given far less attention than Picasso.

Some have described Gadsby’s commentary used in the exhibition as “anti-intellectual”.

As part of the exhibition, Picasso’s work is displayed juxtaposed against that of women artists of the 20th and 21st century and audio sound bites by Gadsby.

Hannah Gadsby berated Picasso as a symbol of male domination in Netflix special Nanette, now the comedian has curated an exhibition featuring his work. Source: Getty / Ed Jones

In a New York Times review, critic Jason Farago wrote that the “joke’s on the Brooklyn Museum” because women artists are the ones the exhibition short-changes.

According to the world’s oldest arts magazine ArtNews, the exhibition shows a “disregard for art history.”

ArtNews editor Alex Greenberger wrote that while the show repeatedly referenced two particular women from Picasso’s love life, who had also produced “art of note”, it did not include any of their artwork.

“It would’ve been instructive to see their work placed on equal footing with Picasso’s,” Greenberger wrote.

He also pointed out that the majority of the pieces on display in the exhibition were by Picasso.

“You can’t re-center art history if you’re still centering Picasso,” he wrote.

Comedian Hannah Gadsby's Pablo Picasso exhibition has garnered some unfavourable reviews. Source: Getty / Lisa Maree Williams

The use of language such as “Weird flex” in the exhibition commentary by Gadsby has also been labelled as cringe-worthy by some on social media and it has been suggested the style of language used was better suited to online platforms rather than an art museum.

Brooklyn Museum staff appear to be taking the criticism in their stride, though.

One of the museum’s curators Catherine Morris posted an Instagram story featuring herself with Gadsby and one other person in frame with the words “that feeling when IT’S PABLO-MATIC gets (male) art critics’ knickers in a twist."

Source: Instagram / Catherine Morris

Gadsby has been outspoken on a number of issues in the past.

Earlier this year when Australian comedian Barry Humphries died, a Twitter post Gadsby wrote in 2018 that labelled him "irrelevant", "inhumane", and said he "hates vulnerable minorities", sparked fresh media attention and debate.