Olivier HERDIES
1906–1993, Belgium/Sweden

1906: Born in Brussels, Belgium. Parents: the author of literature and art critic
Eugène Herdies and the author Thérèse Meurice.
1907: The father leaves the family. Olivier never sees his father again.
1914: First World War breaks out. Belgium is occupied. The family – the mother,
the two-year-older sister, Hélène and Olivier – move to The south of England.
1914-18: School years in England.
1919: The family returns to Belgium.
1923-25: Studies at the Académie des Beaux-Arts, in Brussels.
1926-36: Theatre studies in Brussels. On the staff of and a journalist with various Belgian and French publications. Wrote essays on poetry, literature and art. Reporting journeys in Germany,
Denmark and Norway.
1936: The poetry collection “Connaissance du Printemps”, (les cahiers du journal des poètes,
Bruxelles), was released.
1937: He travels to Sweden on a scholarship, and settles down in Saltsjöbaden. Here he meats
his coming wife, Gudrun Huss.
1937-39: He decides to stay in Sweden, to avoid the War. He teaches French, writes articles and
makes radio programs.
1939-47: Organizes exhibitions, among others in Saltsjöbaden, with the local artists, as Oscar Bergman,
Marja Casparsson, Isaac Grünewald, Sven X:et Erixon and others. Commissariat
for “Artists in exile” with amongst others Endre Nemes and Peter Weiss.
In 1947 he marries Gudrun Huss.
1948: The mother dies in Brussels. He goes on a longer visit to Paris. He meats with many significant artists, amongst other Richard Mortensen. A lifelong friendship emerges. The same year Olivier
begins to paint: in the company of Richard Mortensen. He visits with Rut Hillarp, where Olivier – inspired by Bach – emerges his fingers in ink and starts to paint.
1949: The daughter Anne is born.
1949-55: An intensive period of experimental painting and trips to France and Italy.
1953: The son Michel is born.
1955: His first separate exhibition at Colette Allendy in Paris. He partakes in the exhibition “Il gesto” in Florence and Milan.
1956: Separate exhibition at Galleri Brinken in Stockholm.
1957: Mural paintings: the pharmacy in Rödhaken, Blackeberg and the pharmacy Misteln in Västerås.
1959: Collective exhibition: “Kring Spontanismen” in Stockholm.
Collective exhibition: “Kontroversiellt” at Stockholm’s College.
1960: Obtains Swedish citizenship. Separate exhibition at Gallerie
Observatorium in Stockholm. Separate exhibition: Uppsala University.
1961: Collective exhibition “Nordiskt Sommaruniversitet” in Sigtuna.
Collective exhibition: Sturegalleriet in Stockholm. “Vårsalongen”
and “Stockholmssalongen” a number of times throughout the years 1961-1967.
1962: Collective exhibition: “Svart och Vitt” at the Art Academy in Stockholm.
Collective exhibition: “Phases de L’art contemporain” in Paris.
1963: Collective exhibition: “Le soleil dans la tête” in Paris.
1964: Collective exhibition: “International exhibition of Modern Contemporary Art” in Edinburgh.
Separate exhibition with Gröna Paletten in Stockholm.
1965: Collective exhibition in Lund’s Art hall. Participates in, “Moderna Museet besöker Landskrona”.
Jubilee exhibition with Galleri Observatorium in Stockholm.
1965-69: Collective exhibition: “Mikro” at Galleri Hedenius in Stockholm.
1965-80: Leader of atelier visits at artists in Stockholm.
1966: “Kungafondsstipendiat”(Scholarship). Makes a movie: “Stockholm à L’heure du pop”, a movie about the pop art with economical support from the Swedish Film Institute.
1967: Separate exhibition: Gallerie A in Stockholm. Swedish Tobacco
Company’s travel scholarship to Cavalla in Greece. Carl-Berthel Nathorsts scholarship.
1968: Separate exhibition: Midsommargården in Stockholm.
Separate exhibition: Lilla Galleriet in Umeå.
Collective exhibition: “Svart och Vitt” at The Art Academy in Stockholm.
1969: Separate exhibition: Galleri Latina in Stockholm. Gruppexpo
Galleri Latina in Antibes in France.
1970: The Art Academy’s grand working scholarship (For two years).
Separate exhibition: Bollnäs Art Centrum.
1971: Member exhibition: The Art House in Stockholm.
1972: Collective exhibition: “ Konstens stormarknad” at Sveagalleriet in Stockholm.
Carl-Berthel Nathorsts Scholarship.
1974: The City of Stockholm’s Scholarship.
1975: Carl-Berthel Nathorsts Scholarship.
1977: “Liljevalchs Vårsalong”
Separate exhibition: Galleri Lucidor in Stockholm.
1978: The Governments Large Working Scholarship.
1979: Collective exhibition: Hägringen/Hägerstens Cultural Committee in Stockholm.
1981: The Art Committee’s Scholarship.
1983: Collective exhibition: Grafikgalleriet Konstnärshuset in Stockholm.
1984: Olivier Herdies and Greta Falk-Simon at Thielska Galleriet in Stockholm.
1985: Separate exhibition: Olle Ohlsson Huset in Solna.
1987: Separate exhibition: Konstnärshuset in Stockholm.
1988: Collective exhibition: Galleri Heikenskjöld in Arboga.
1991: Collective exhibition: “Dedication to Jazz”, at Aoseum in Åhus.
1992: Collective exhibition: Konstnärshuset in Stockholm.
Separate exhibition: Galerie Bel’Art in Stockholm.
1993: Dies in Stockholm on the December 25th.


2000: “Alibi”, Poems and essays are released by Ellerströms publishers in Lund.
Commemoration exhibition: Thielska Galleriet in Stockholm.
2001: Retrospective separate exhibition: Ystad’s Art museum.
2002: Separate exhibition: Präståkra gård in Simrishamn.
Collective exhibition: “Swedish Masters”, at Galerie Bel’Art in Stockholm.


Represented: Moderna Museet, Stockholm
Nationalmuséum, Stockholm
Ystads Konstmuseum



Literature: Amongst others, “Essä om Olivier Herdies” by Öyvind Fahlström. Ord & Bild nr 6, 1959.
“Bildkonsten I Norden”, Beate Sydhoff, volume 5, Publisher Prisma, 1975.
“Gemensamma nämnare”, Lasse Söderberg, Publisher Ellerström, 1999.
Mentioned in numerous art encyclopedias.

Source: Internet