Reframing Picasso: African Artistic Influence and Contemporary Interpretations of Cultural Exchange

This paper explores Pablo Picasso’s work through a contemporary lens, focusing on the influence of African artistic traditions on the development of Cubism. Drawing on modern scholarship and visual analysis, the study examines how forms, structures, and symbolic elements from African masks and sculpture informed Picasso’s stylistic innovations. It further considers the evolving discourse surrounding artistic influence, appropriation, and cultural exchange, particularly in the context of early 20th-century European exposure to non-Western art. By situating Picasso’s work within both historical and contemporary frameworks, the paper argues that a more nuanced understanding of artistic development must account for the cultural origins and power dynamics embedded in cross-cultural influence.