Gibbes Museum of Art Distinguished Lecture Series

Event Details

Founded with the generous support of philanthropist Esther Ferguson, the Distinguished Lecture Series brings outstanding, world-renowned architects, artists, art collectors, museum leaders, philanthropists, and art historians to Charleston to stimulate public discussion about creativity and the visual arts.

Olivier Widmaier Picasso is an authority on Pablo Picasso with a unique perspective. Grandson to the legendary artist, Widmaier Picasso was born to Pierre Widmaier, a Navy officer, and Maya Picasso, daughter of Pablo Picasso and Marie-Therese Walter. With advanced degrees in business and tax law, he regularly produces television documentaries on contemporary art and opera, and profiles the major players in architecture, design, fashion, music, and photography. His 2013 biography, "Picasso, Portrait intime," includes interviews and testimonies from people closest to the artist when he was alive as well as extensive archival materials and family photographs. As an art market observer and expert, he is frequently asked to comment on exhibitions and auction sales. He was involved in the 2016 Sotheby’s promotion of "Femme Assise," which sold for a record-breaking $63.7 million. Olivier Widmaier Picasso is Chevalier (2011) and Officier (2016) des Arts et des Lettres, both awarded by the French government. A book signing will follow the lecture.