A recently opened Round Rock gallery is about to become the first in the United States to show an exhibition of Pablo Picasso's works on loan from his home town. Dialogues with Picasso, Season One, featuring works on loan from the Museo Casa Natal in Málaga, Spain, will open November 6 at the City Arts Center. It will close April 20.
The free, two-part exhibition asks viewers to imagine themselves in Málaga. It's part of a cultural partnership between Round Rock and Málaga.
The downtown Round Rock gallery opened in January of 2026 at 216 E. Main St. Overseen by the City of Round Rock Arts and Culture, its purpose is to show works by both local and internationally renowned artists, and it's doing just that with the new Picasso exhibition.
Alongside the legendary Cubist painter, the gallery will show a different exhibition featuring the works of Austin-based artist Nick Ramos, who had a personal connection to Spain and Picasso, a press release says. Ramos' exhibition will be on display in The Art of Nick Ramos, which will be on show for most of the same dates, closing March 21.
Ramos is connected to Picasso though his Valencia, Spain-born father, Antonio Ramos Vivancos, who he says had a "fascination" with the artist and Don Quixote. A spokesperson for the City Arts Center says it was Ramos Vivancos' dream to exhibit with Picasso.
His father — Ramos' grandfather — was incarcerated under the Francisco Franco regime and only met Ramos Vivancos when he was eight years old. In the exhibit, Ramos includes his father's reinterpretation of “Guernica,” Picasso's famous depiction of the aerial bombing of Guernica by Nazi forces in support of Franco.
Ramos gave some sneak peeks on Instagram, sharing an original drawing and a sculpture by Ramos Vivancos that both show clear Cubist influence; another drawing actually depicts Picasso's work as a study. Ramos himself also works in exaggerated, flat shapes used for portraiture.
The Picasso exhibit shows off 23 works by the famous artist and 20 by others from America, Ecuador, Mexico, Spain, and England. Each work by a guest artist sits next to a Picasso original, building on the "dialogue" concept. A further conversation happens between the viewer and the art, which is rare to see up close in a small city rather than in a major museum.
City of Round Rock Arts and Culture manager Christina Rudofsky says the project came about when she met cultural strategist Francisco Guitard organically during the city's Mainly Art pop-up in 2025. Guitard was in the area working on an art project. Rudofsky gave him a look at the City Arts Center, which was still under construction, and he explained that he had been wanting to show Picasso's works in Texas and eventually build a museum. The Round Rock gallery gets the first phase of that project underway.
Scot Wilkinson, director of the City of Round Rock Arts and Culture, said, “Picasso is a name that changed the course of art, and having an exhibition connected to his legacy presented here demonstrates just how far Round Rock has come as a cultural destination. For me, this exhibition represents exactly what we envisioned for the City Arts Center—a place where our residents can experience art of international significance right here in the heart of Downtown Round Rock."
The City Arts Center is located at 216 E. Main St. Admission is free. Hours are 10 am to 6 pm Tuesdays through Saturdays, and on Wednesdays the gallery stays open until 8 pm.
--
Update: This article has been updated to add context about the how the exhibit started and Ramos' family connections.
