Picasso at SAM: This is Big, Seattle

Just follow the orange line. However, if the over 10,000 advance tickets already sold and the nearly booked field trip schedule is anything to go by, there will be swarms of people, so that orange line along the floor might be difficult to see. Where are they all going? Why, to THE show of the year, of course. Picasso: he's kind of a big deal.

The fact that this exhibit (formally titled Picasso: Masterpieces from the Musee National Picasso Paris) is in Seattle is a coup of sorts. The paintings, sculptures, photos and drawings in this show come from the illustrious Musee National Picasso Paris, whose collection consists of works that the painter kept with him throughout his life. As such, they offer a glance at Picasso's process, his friends and family, and together they create an autobiography of images that tell the tale of one of the most significant artists of the 20th century. When the Paris museum closed for renovations recently, their one-of-a-kind collection hit the road for a rare international tour, with Seattle as one of three U.S. stops.

This exhibit is packed with art, much of which was hung a little higher to accommodate the anticipated crowds. If you're someone who likes a side of text with your art, you won't find it on the walls. Grab an audio guide (included in the ticket price) or download a copy of it from SAM's website ahead of time for some in depth explanations, interpretations and reflections from curators, artists, and more.

As you move through the show, which is set up chronologically for the most part, you will see Picasso's various styles, techniques and inspirations. Begin with a technically trained painter, follow the man into his bohemian Blue and Rose days, observe how his first encounter with African art oozed into his style, an entree into high society provokes a return to classicism, treat his cubist paintings like a Magic Eye puzzle, watch how his various mistresses influenced his works, and end with a old man who refuses to let go of his inner child. This exhibit is at times sexy and sensual, sad and serious, distorted and realistic, hopeful and lonely, but the one consistent thing is that this exhibit is spectacular. In the style of hyperbolic movie critics: if you see one show this year, this is it.

Through January 17 // Seattle Art Museum // Tickets $23