Western Australia has secured an exclusive art exhibition showcasing the works of modern masters including Andy Warhol and Pablo Picasso.

In an exclusive deal with New York's Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the Art Gallery of WA will display the works from some of the biggest superstars of surrealism, minimalism and abstract expressionism.

The exhibition, entitled Picasso to Warhol: Twelve Modern Masters, will open next year and feature more than 100 modern art masterpieces from MoMA's collection.

Arts Minister John Day said it was a phenomenal achievement by the Art Gallery of WA, headed by Dr Stefano Carboni, to showcase one of the most famous collections in modern art.

He said the coup showed Perth had come of age.

"This is certainly demonstrating Perth and WA is right up there internationally and we're not just seen as being important in relation to economic development and the development of our resource sector," Mr Day said.

"In Perth, there's a strong desire from a lot of people to have far greater sophistication in what's presented, and a greater diversity and variety.

"People want high-quality events, including in the cultural sector, and we're certainly making a statement about that."

As well as Picasso and Warhol, the exhibition will showcase works from American abstract expressionist Jackson Pollock and French surrealist Marcel Duchamp, known for his work Fountain, which was simply a urinal.

Works from French impressionist Henri Matisse; Spanish surrealist Joan Miro; Dutch painter Piet Mondrian, the leader of the De Stijl movement; and American pop artist Jasper Johns will also be on display.

Mr Day applauded Dr Carboni, the gallery's director who was responsible for securing the collection, which has rarely been seen outside of the US.

Dr Carboni had previously worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

The Modern Masters exhibition will be the first of six exhibitions showcasing MoMA's collection, with subsequent shows drawing works from each of the museum's curatorial departments, including design and photography.

The WA government allocated $6 million in the recent budget to help with underwriting the cost of the exhibition.

- AAP