Lecture
Professor David Peimer
Saturday 21.02.2026
Professor David Peimer
Picasso’s Genius: ‘I Don’t Paint Trees, I Paint Colour, Shape, Angle’
Saturday 21.02.2026
How to watch
This lecture starts on 21 February at 5:00pm (UK).
Summary
Picasso said, “I don’t paint what I see, but what I think or imagine,” and, “every act of creation is first an act of destruction.” Through this lens, he saw our irrational, messy, remarkable, and complex human psyche. Like Freud or Einstein, he was a universalist searching for a new language —Cubism—that could transcend national borders and speak to the global human condition. Join us for an exhilarating journey into the imagination, life, and work of Pablo Picasso.
Professor David Peimer
David Peimer is a Professor of Literature, Film and Theatre in the UK. He has worked for the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, New York University (Global Division) and was a Fulbright Scholar at Columbia University. Born in South Africa, David has won numerous awards for playwriting and directing. He has most recently directed Dame Janet Suzman in his own play, Joanna’s Story, at London Jewish Book Week. He has published numerous books, including Armed Response: Plays from South Africa and the digital book Theatre in the Camps. He is on the board of the Pinter Centre (London), and has been involved with the Mandela Foundation, Vaclav Havel Foundation and directed a range of plays at Mr Havel’s Prague theatre.