NOW OPEN: The Metamorphoses of Guernica: Virtual reality experience at the Musée national Picasso-Paris

The experience offers a unique immersion into the heart of Picasso’s masterpiece by tracing its history from its commission to its status as a symbol of peace

PARIS, FRANCE, April 8, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Co-produced by Paris-based content production company Lucid Realities and global arts and technology initiative VIVE Arts, “The metamorphoses of Guernica” offers a unique immersion into the heart of one of the major masterpieces of the 20th century, open now through 6 September 2026 at the Musée national Picasso-Paris. This experience traces the history of Pablo Picasso's monumental painting, from its commission for the 1937 International Exhibition in Paris to its status as an icon and symbol of peace.

The experience invites viewers to journey through a series of significant moments and places: the Spanish Republican Pavilion, where the work was first revealed to the public; the ruins of the Basque town of Gernika after the bombing that inspired the painting; the Parisian studio of the Grands-Augustins, where the work was created; and finally the various locations the canvas travelled to before its permanent installation at the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid.

The narrative is carried by the voices of two privileged witnesses: that of the writer Juan Larrea, a member of the Spanish Republican delegation, and that of Dora Maar, a surrealist artist and the artist's companion, whose anti-fascist commitment was decisive in the birth of this political work and who documented the genesis of the work through a series of photographs.

At the crossroads of art history and sensory immersion, “The metamorphoses of Guernica” offers a new way of understanding the history of this universally significant work, echoing the collections of the Musée national Picasso-Paris, which provide an overview of his entire oeuvre and preserve preliminary studies, archival documents and a body of work closely linked to the creation of Guernica.

“The Musée national Picasso-Paris wanted to complement the visit to its collections with a VR film presenting Guernica (1937), one of Picasso's major works. This painting, emblematic of his commitment against the Franco regime and an essential work in 20th century history, marks an important stage in his career. It was important to evoke it, using VR technology, within the world's largest public collection of Picasso's works. This immersive experience allows visitors to understand the historical context, complex genesis and widespread reception of this masterpiece, now housed at the Museo Centro de Arte Reina Sofia in Madrid, thanks to the archives and writing of director Nicolas Thépot (Lucid Realities) and the museum's scientific advisory board.” -Cécile Debray, President of the Musée national Picasso-Paris

“Developing new access points for audiences to experience cultural heritage is a foundational principal for VIVE Arts. As new technologies open previously closed doors to history, we are delighted to collaborate with forward-thinking institutions like Musée national Picasso-Paris to bring this mission to action. The Metamorphoses of Guernica takes a seminal work by Pablo Picasso as its foundation, and utilizes the best affordances of immersive tech to shed new light on the famed painting's creation and lasting cultural impact. We can't wait for audiences to experience this fresh, contemporary perspective on a beloved touchstone of modern art history.” -Celina Yeh, VIVE Arts executive director

“To speak of Guernica today is to refuse to allow painting to be a decoration of history, but rather its denunciation.” -Nicolas Thépot, the director

About Nicolas Thépot
Nicolas Thépot is an author and director. He worked on the series “Orsay en Mouvements”. He also created the mini-series “Oubliez-moi” for france.tv and the magazine “L’Œil de links” for Canal+. Recently, Nicolas has worked on cultural mediation projects for the Hôtel de la Marine, La Cité Internationale de la langue française, the Muséoparc d'Alésia and the Cité du vin de Bordeaux. He is also the director of the virtual reality experience “Claude Monet – L'obsession des nymphéas” co-produced with the Musée d'Orsay.

Lucid Realities
Lucid Realities is a content production company dedicated to immersive and interactive writing, based in Paris and founded in July 2018. For us, XR is much more than a technology; above all, it is an opportunity to create a new form of experience that harnesses the emotional power of virtual reality for writers and authors who want to have a social or educational impact, or simply transport us into their stories.

VIVE Arts (HTC)
VIVE Arts is a global arts and technology initiative redefining how culture is created, experienced, and preserved through the power of digital mediums. VIVE Arts commissions, produces, and distributes groundbreaking immersive experiences in partnership with world-class artists and institutions—expanding creative possibilities for artists and enabling institutions to animate cultural heritage in bold new ways that reach wider audiences. With unmatched expertise in the arts, culture, and technology, VIVE Arts empowers artists and institutions to harness immersive arts and technologies. This opens new modes of storytelling, experimentation, and exhibition and fosters a dynamic ecology for digital innovation in the arts, from creation through to distribution. Since its founding in 2017, VIVE Arts has realized more than 75 projects worldwide and stands at the forefront of advancing culture through technology. https://www.vivearts.com/

Production Information
“The metamorphoses of Guernica"
Musée national Picasso-Paris – Until 6 September 2026

Produced by: Lucid Realities and VIVE Arts, in collaboration with Musée national Picasso
Creative team: Nicolas Thépot, writer and director; Catherine Sauvat François Dareau, writer; Jordi Bataille-Lopez (Juan Larrea) and Manon Rony (Dora Maar), voice actors; Chloé Jarry, producer; Rémi Boubal, composer
With support from: the CNC (Centre National du Cinéma et de l'image animée)

Ages 10 and up
15-minute experience, available in French, English, Spanish and Mandarin
Book online

Lila Price
Resnicow and Associates
lprice@resnicow.com
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