Lectures

Join us for lectures from artists, experts, and other compelling voices on wide-ranging topics. Check back for upcoming events and purchase tickets online.

Experience the Spark of Modernity: Matisse & Saÿen

Thursday, June 26th, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Step into the vibrant world of two pioneers of modern art—Henri Matisse, the undisputed master of color, and Henry Saÿen, a visionary American artist with a scientific mind. In early 20th-century Paris, at the heart of the avant-garde, their creative exchange helped ignite a powerful artistic revolution, blending bold Fauvism with luminous experimentation. This talk unveils a unique dialogue between two innovative spirits and shines a light on Saÿen’s overlooked yet vital influence on American modernism.

About the Speaker:

Simon Lhopiteau is a French art historian and dealer who recently moved from Paris to Seattle, where he opened a gallery and consultancy focused on 20th-century avant-garde and contemporary art. He holds a master’s from the École du Louvre and a PhD from Paris-Sorbonne University, with research on 17th-century French artist Pierre Daret.

In 2005, he founded Galerie Orsay Paris, specializing in avant-garde paintings, drawings, and sculpture. His expertise is grounded in Italian Renaissance and French Baroque art. Simon is a certified expert with the Compagnie Nationale des Experts, a member of the French Art History Society, and a regular at the Fine Arts Paris fair at the Louvre.

Cascadia’s Curator Presents at

Smithsonian American Art Museum

David Martin, curator at Cascadia, discussed his work recovering histories of Asian American Artists of the Pacific Northwest as part of a panel discussion at the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) on March 14, 2025. The program, Rediscovering Asian American Art Panel Conversation, brought together three scholars who have worked to illuminate the contributions of twentieth-century Asian American artists.

More About David Martin
Martin is the leading authority on early Washington state art and artists. Many of the artists he has chosen to highlight are women, Japanese and Chinese Americans, gay, lesbian and other minorities who had established national and international reputations during the period 1890-1960.

Rediscovering Asian American Art Panel Conversation video courtesy of Smithsonian American Art Museum (March 14, 2025)