Early Years - 1940s - 1950s - 1960s - 1970s - 1980s - 1990s - 2000s

2000 - Present

Françoise Gilot in her New York studio, 2000 (Photo: Bruno Mouron)
2000

In late March and April, Gilot exhibits paintings of several decades at Galerie Larock-Katia Granoff on quai de Conti in Paris.

During May, Varfok Galeria in Budapest exhibits Gilot’s works on paper. A concurrent exhibition of drawings by Endre Rozsda is held in an adjacent space of the same gallery.

In September, the McMullen Museum of Art at Boston College presents an exhibition of Gilot’s early oils and works on paper.

Cover Françoise Gilot Monograph 1940-2000
In the fall, Françoise Gilot Monograph, 1940-2000, is released by Acatos Publishing. This 445-page monograph contains more than 340 luminous color reproductions together with a forward by Dina Vierny and an extensive 80-page biography of the artist’s life and work (including many previously unpublished family photographs) written by Mel Yoakum, Ph.D., Curator, The F. Gilot Archives. A deluxe edition of this slipcased monograph includes an original drawing by Gilot from the 1999 series Masks and Faces.

Françoise Gilot with her children Claude Picasso, Paloma Picasso, and Aurelia Provvedini, Paris studio, 2000 (Photo: Bruno Mouron)
In October, the monograph is launched in the U.S. with a book signing by both authors at the Rizzoli Bookstore in New York City.

In November, the Vanier Galleries in Arizona present Françoise Gilot – 60 Years of Her Art, a retrospective of Gilot’s work. The exhibition includes a lecture by Mel Yoakum, Ph.D. at Arizona State University on Gilot’s life and work as well as a concurrent book signing of the recently published monograph.

2001

In April, Françoise Gilot Monograph, 1940-2000 is published in French and the event is celebrated with a book signing by the artist at Artcurial, Paris.

In June, Varfok Galeria in Budapest exhibits Gilot’s recent oils on canvas. While in Budapest, Gilot lectures on the life and work of her mentor, Endre Rozsda concurrent with a retrospective of his graphic work at the National Galleries, Budapest. Gilot presents The Yellow Tulips, an important 1936 oil by Endre Rozsda (formerly from the collection of her father, Emile Gilot) to the National Galleries. The French ambassador to Hungary hosts a reception in Gilot’s honor at the French Embassy in Budapest.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York purchases three of Gilot’s early works for their permanent collection.

In September, only weeks after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, Gilot travels from New York to Collegeville, Pennsylvania to greet collectors at the opening of an exhibition of her work at the Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art, Ursinus College.

Françoise Gilot and Dr. Mel Yoakum at the exhibition opening of recent oils on canvas by Gilot at the Várfok Galeria, Budapest, 2001
As part of the Meet the Masters series, Gilot gives two sold-out lectures about her work in the Copley Auditorium of the San Diego Museum of Art reminiscing in October.

On November 26, Gilot celebrates her 80th birthday at the Lotos Club in New York with her children and a score of close friends in attendance. William S. Lieberman, Chairman of Modern Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, toasts to Gilot’s legacy as an artist and a writer.

2002

The New Orleans Museum of Art hosts a reception for Gilot on the occasion of the unveiling of an important work by Gilot recently gifted to the museum for their permanent collection.

Gilot makes numerous television appearances in Paris in conjunction with the Matisse Picasso exhibition that opened in the fall at the Grand Palais.

October 16th, the noted director, Philippe Koly interviews Gilot for his DVD project, Matisse et Picasso.

Bel Air Magazine, of the famed Bel Air Hotel in Los Angeles, publishes a wonderfully spirited interview/article by Diane Rozas about Gilot and her work in the December issue.

2003

In January, Gilot presents a lecture on Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso at the Alliance Française in New York City as part of the Matisse Picasso exhibition at MoMAQNS. Her book, Matisse and Picasso, A Friendship in Art is republished to accompany the exhibition.

The January issue of Art and Antiques magazine includes a feature article about Françoise Gilot by Diane Rozas entitled: Painterly Intuition.

In February, as part of the Meet the Masters lecture series, Gilot gives two sold-out lectures in the Copley Auditorium of the San Diego Museum of Art about the modern European masters she has personally known during her career.

On February 6th, Wanderings and Wonderings of the Imagination, an exhibition of Gilot’s work on the theme of the wanderer opens at the Vanier Galleries in Scottsdale, Arizona. The exhibition catalogue includes an essay by Mel Yoakum, Ph. D. Events include a lecture on Gilot’s Wanderer series by Dr. Yoakum as well as several receptions and booksignings.

During February and March, Gilot exhibits her personal collection of works by Endre Rozsda at La Maison Française of New York University. On March 13th, Gilot gives an engaging and intimate lecture about Endre Rozsda and his work as a part of the opening reception.

On September 19th, with Françoise Gilot and her family in attendance, the Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz in Chemnitz Germany hosts a lavish opening reception for the first major exhibition of the non-figurative work: Françoise Gilot Paintings. Spanning nearly seven decades of the artist's work, this seminal exhibition was highly regarded as reported by the media from all the major cities in Germany and includes a handsome hard-bound catalogue, published by Kerber Verlag, with essays/notes by Ingrid Mössinger, Director der Kunstsammlungen, Chemnitz; Françoise Gilot, Mel Yoakum, Ph.D., Director, The F. Gilot Archives, Evelyn Weiss, former Assistant Director at the Museum Lugwig, and an interview with Gilot by Wilfried Wiegand, Cultural Correspondent for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Through the efforts of Ingrid Mössinger, Françoise Gilot is unexpectedly reunited with Ulrich Mack, a noted German photographer, who first photographed Gilot in 1965 in and around her home in Neuilly, near Paris. The exhibition continues through November 8, 2003.

2004

From January 14 to March 11, twelve of Gilot's luminous monotypes from the late 1980s and 1990s are exhibited at the French Institute Alliance Francaise in New York

In March, Editions Indigene publishes Dans L'Arene avec Picasso with texts by Françoise Gilot and Annie Maillis.

Also, in March, Florence Dauchez interviews Françoise Gilot for the Journal de la Culture.

In April, Françoise Gilot exhibits an important collection of her heroic, emblematic floating paintings at Chapelle de La Salamandre, the contemporary art gallery in Nimes, France. To compliment this exhibition, Serge Panijel, Françoise Gilot's dealer in Paris, presents Emblemes et Symboles, 1984-2004 at his Paris gallery.

2005

In January, The Centre Gallery at The Centre for Performing and Visual Arts of Coweta County in Newnan, Georgia presents: Above, Below and Beyond. This exhibition, curated by Mel Yoakum, Ph.D., Director, The F. Gilot Archives, features floating paintings, monotypes and oils from the previous twenty years. The accompanying catalogue included color illustrations of many of the works in the exhibition together with a forward by Donald W. Nixon, Coordinator of Fine Arts for the Centre and essays by Françoise Gilot and Mel Yoakum, Ph.D.

At the well-respected New York Armory Show of the Art Dealers Association of America, the Elkon Gallery of New York exhibits a brilliant retrospective of works by Françoise Gilot to much acclaim.

In April, Françoise Gilot's longest dealer association, The Mann Gallery in New Orleans, presents an important retrospective of works on paper spanning 60 years of her career from 1942-2002.

Also in April and in association with Jose Mangani, curator of the estate of Endre Rozsda, Galerie Serge Panijel, Paris, presents a retrospective of works by Endre Rozsda and Françoise Gilot entitled: Une Amitie Artistique.

In May, Varfok Galeria, Françoise Gilot's exclusive dealer in Budapest, presents an exhibition of the more recent oil paintings. During this exhibition, The Hotel Lanchid 19, Budapest's first design hotel situated on the banks of the Danube, acquires three floating paintings for their public spaces.

2006

In June, Françoise Gilot participates in the Sun Valley Visual Forum Conference in Sun Valley, Idaho.

In the summer, Bentali Verlag, Wabern/Bern, publishes Françoise Gilot — A Photographic Portrait with photographs by Ulrich Mack and essays by Françoise Gilot, Claude Ruiz-Picasso and Paloma Picasso. The book was also published in French under the same title.

In October, The Centre for Performing and Visual Arts of Coweta County in Newnan, Georgia, opens their second exhibition of Gilot's work entitled: An Intimate Odyssey, 1941-2006, Works of Art by Françoise Gilot. The catalogue to accompany the exhibition includes an essay by Mel Yoakum, Ph.D., Director of The F. Gilot Archives and curator of the exhibition, together with color illustrations of many of the works. As part of the opening reception events, the Centre's main art gallery is renamed the Gallery Françoise Gilot in honor of the artist. During her stay in Newnan, Gilot also graciously meets with many children from the Coweta County schools. The Centre continues to exhibit the large floating painting, The Seed 1983, in their main reception area - a gift from Françoise Gilot to the permanent collection of the Centre on the occasion of this exhibition.

Also in October, Françoise Gilot, Portraits from a Life, a stunningly beautiful exhibition of drawings and gouaches, many from Gilot's private collection and never previously exhibited, is presented by The Elkon Gallery in New York. This exhibition also includes a number of Gilot's private and intimate photographs she had collected over the years, including works by Ulrich Mack from his photo sessions with Gilot in 1965. The handsomely printed catalogue includes many illustrations and photographs together with a very intimate essay by Gilot.

At the end of the year, Gilot exhibits about a dozen important oils from different periods (1942-2004) with her Amsterdam dealer, Galerie Mia Joosten.

2007

In February, the Coweta County Arts Patrons, in collaboration with the Bank of New York, present the floating painting, Premonition, 1983 to The Centre for Performing and Visual Arts of Coweta County in Newnan, Georgia for their museum collection. Premonition is permanently displayed in the main reception area of the Centre along with The Seed, a gift from the artist in during her exhibition and visit there in 2006

In March, a selection of Gilot's oils is exhibited at TEFAF in Maastricht.

Varfok Galeria in Budapest, Hungary exhibits recent works in May.

Françoise Gilot Compositions, 2002 — 2005, curated by Louise Tolliver Deutschman, opens at the New York Studio School of Drawing, Painting and Sculpture in October. The exhibition includes a colorfully illustrated catalogue with essays by Françoise Gilot, Louise Tolliver Deutchman, and the forward by the Dean, Graham Nickson.

In Novemeber, Mann Gallery in New Orleans celebrates 35 years of collaboration with an exhibition of 35 works by Gilot.

2008

In support of the Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art at Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, Gilot makes a major gift of over 50 portrait paintings, drawings, gouaches, watercolors and original prints to the permanent collection of the museum.

The Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, CA exhibits a collection of important floating paintings in the main foyer of the Institute. Mel Yoakum, Ph.D., Director, The F. Gilot Archives, as consultant to the Fine Arts Program at the Institute, curated Françoise Gilot: Floating Paintings 1980-1986. The opening reception in October is attended by Salk Institute board of trustee members, scientists, faculty and invited guests and features a slide lecture by Dr. Yoakum on Gilot's career and work, including intimate images of her 25 year marriage to the Institute's founding Director, Dr. Jonas Salk.

Also in October, Gallery Beck & Eggeling in Dusseldorf, Germany exhibits a retrospective of Gilot's drawings and gouaches, entitled: Lignes et Formes

Calling the Birds, a playful exhibition of Gilot's paintings, drawings and original prints, opens at the Mann Gallery in New Orleans, Louisiana, in December.

2009

Gilot returns to the studio of Judith Solodkin at Solo Impressions in January to collaborate on a new series of luminous monotypes.

In February, at the important annual Amory Show in New York, Elkon Gallery exhibits a handsome collection of important works from the earlier years.

Mann Gallery in New Orleans exhibits important oils as a follow-up to the success of exhibitions there in 2007 and 2008.

Rythmes Dynamiques opens in May at the Espace des Femmes in Paris.

In October, Varfok Galeria in Budapest, Hungary, mounts an exhibition of Gilot's recent oils.

Gilot exhibits work at the Musee National de L'Orangerie in Paris during November.

Also in November, Gilot lends work to the exhibition: Les Enfants Modeles, De Claude Renoir a Pierre Arditi.

In December, Françoise Gilot is awarded the rank of Officier de la Legion d'Honneur by the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy.

2010

In February, the Mann Gallery in New Orleans continues its series of important exhibitions celebrating Gilot's long collaboration with the opening of a beautiful exhibition entitled: Important Early Works by Françoise Gilot. Collectors travel from all over the US to meet the artist at the very well attended opening reception.

An important retrospective of Gilot's work from 1943-2008, A Life in Art, Françoise Gilot, opens at the Chanel Nexus Hall in Tokyo for the month of March. Sponsored by Foundation Chanel, together with Galerie Serge Panijel and Galerie Saint-Guillaume, this is Gilot's first exhibition in Japan.

In April, the exhibition from Tokyo, expanded to include additional works, including several important floating paintings, moves to the Kasama Nichido Museum of Art in Kasama, Japan. Included in the exhibition is Still Life with Fruits, 1952 from the private collection of Mr. & Mrs. Hasegawa, founding members of the museum.

As part of the celebrations designating the Hungarian city of Pecs as a "European Cultural Capital", Gilot exhibits work in the Pecsi Kisgaleria, the official gallery of the city of Pecs, Hungary.

During the spring and summer months, BLT Gallery, in the New York Bowery close to the new Museum of Modern Art, exhibits the monotypes recently created in collaboration with Judith Solodkin at Solo Impressions.

An exhibition entitled: Symboles, opens in June at the Galerie La Nivelle in Saint Jean-de-Luz/Cibourne, France.

The Slovenian Minister of Culture officially opens an exhibition of Gilot's work in June at the Galerija-Muzej in Lendava, Slovenia.

2011

Transitions: Works by Françoise Gilot opens in June at the Oceanside Museum of Art in Oceanside, CA. Curated by Mel Yoakum, Ph.D., the exhibition includes oils, drawings, gouaches, monotypes and original prints - many seminal works from the last 50 years that have rarely been exhibited - exploring Gilot's verve at blurring the boundaries between the figurative and the abstract.

In July, Janet Hawley publishes a brilliant article about Gilot and her work for an Australian magazine. Written from her insightful and candid interviews with Gilot earlier in the year at her New York studio, Gilot discusses with Hawley many aspects of her relationship with Picasso with an uncommon spirit of openness, confidence and understanding. Especially interesting are the recollections, remembrances and dialogues Gilot shared with Picasso during their years together that she has previously kept only to herself.

In September, Gilot attends the opening reception of Françoise Gilot: A Retrospective of Original Prints, at the Joyce Jackson Gallery at the LaGrange Art Museum in Georgia.

Also in September, Mel Yoakum, Ph.D. presents an important lecture for museum donors and members about Gilot's life, work and her importance in the trajectory of the history of modern art as part of Transitions: Works by Françoise Gilot at the Oceanside Museum of Art in Oceanside, CA.

Gilot releases her latest monograph: Françoise Gilot — Works 1984—2010, as a companion to the earlier monograph of 2000. This important and handsomely illustrated volume is published by ArtAcatos Sarl, with photogravures by Cesar Graphic, Paris and printing by GR Presse, Athens. The nearly 300 pages of illustrations and photographs also include essays by Aurelia Engel, curator of Gilot's archives, Barbara Haskell, James Lord, Annie Maillis, Judith Solodkin, along with many insights and comments by the artist.

On November 26, surrounded by family and friends at her studio in New York, Françoise Gilot celebrates her 90th birthday.

Also on November 26, in honor of Gilot's birthday, Varfok Gallery in Budapest, Hungary opens, Françoise Gilot: Confessions in Color, a brilliant retrospective exhibition of Gilot's works on paper from the last seven decades, including drawings, watercolors, gouaches, monotypes and original prints. The exhibition continues until January 14, 2012.

Françoise Gilot, at 90, Drawings 1941 — 2010 opens at Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz in Chemnitz, Germany on 27 November. This important retrospective of Gilot's works on paper, which continues until February 19, 2012, includes a handsomely printed catalogue of the exhibition, edited by Ingrid Mössinger and Kerstin Drechsel with essays by Anne-Marie Bonnet and an interview conducted by Peter Iden.

2012

An exhibition of Gilot's original prints, featuring works from the Terrail family collection, opens April 10th in the Françoise Gilot Gallery at The Centre for the Performing and Visual Arts of Coweta County in Newnan, Georgia. Gilot's youngest daughter, Aurelia Engel, Curator of Gilot's archives and agent for her work, attends the opening reception and speaks about the history and evolution of her mother's daring and luminous work in original prints. The collection is on exhibit for the month of April.

From May 2 — June 30, Gagosian Gallery, 980 Madison Avenue, New York, will present the first joint exhibition of works by Pablo Picasso and Françoise Gilot. This much anticipated exhibition, Picasso and Françoise Gilot, Paris — Vallauris, 1943 — 1953, focuses on the artistic dialogue these two dynamic artists shared as companions following WWII. The exhibition will include works by Picasso during this period, featuring four studies for La femme fleur, the striking portrait of Gilot as the woman-flower. Works by Gilot in the exhibition will include important self-portraits, portraits of Picasso, as well as, drawings and gouaches of their children, Claude and Paloma. Picasso biographer and historian, John Richardson, in collaboration with Françoise Gilot, curated the exhibition. The accompanying catalogue includes essays by John Richardson, Françoise Gilot, Charles Stuckey and Michael Cory.

Transitions: Works by Françoise Gilot opens May 31 in the main gallery at the Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art at Ursinus College, Collegeville, Pennsylvania. This exhibition marks the fourth collaboration between the artist. the museum and the curator, Mel Yoakum, Ph.D.. Concurrent with this exhibition, a selection of portrait drawings, part of a major gift to the museum by Gilot in 2008, will be exhibited in the Lenfest Gallery of the Pfieffer Wing at the museum. Both exhibitions will remain through the summer.

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