Gerbeaud KULT: An Evening with Pierre Vasarely in Budapest
Art, family stories and a dessert table come together at Gerbeaud Café on November 20, 2026, when Pierre Vasarely joins the Gerbeaud KULT programme for a special English-language evening. The grandson of Victor Vasarely and president of the Fondation Vasarely will share personal memories and discuss the legacy of one of the most influential figures in optical art.
Taking place in Gerbeaud’s Atrium Hall on Vörösmarty Square, the event offers international visitors a chance to enjoy a cultural evening in Budapest without a language barrier. The conversation runs from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm, with the dessert table welcoming guests from 7 pm.
Discover Victor Vasarely Through His Grandson’s Eyes
The world knows Victor Vasarely for geometric compositions and optical illusions. Pierre knew him as his grandfather. That personal connection is at the heart of the evening, bringing family memories into a conversation about an internationally recognised artistic legacy.
Pierre will be joined by Professor Attila Horányi, PhD, representing the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design, known as MOME. Together, they will explore Vasarely’s work, his family life and the continuing relevance of his ideas, with personal photographs adding another perspective to the discussion.
The programme also turns the spotlight on Claire Vasarely, exploring her artistic identity alongside her place in the family’s story.
Celebrating 120 Years of Vasarely
The evening marks the 120th anniversary of Victor Vasarely’s birth in Pécs, Hungary, in 1906. Born Győző Vásárhelyi, he became a leading figure in op art, using geometric forms and contrasting colours to create images that appear to shift, vibrate or move across a flat surface.
His move to Paris in 1930 helped shape an artistic career that connected Hungary and France. During the Gerbeaud conversation, that legacy becomes a starting point for a broader question: why do Vasarely’s experiments with visual perception still matter today?
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The discussion will also revisit a connection with Budapest’s art education. In 1968, Victor and Claire Vasarely visited the Budapest College of Applied Arts. Nearly six decades later, their grandson will meet a representative of its successor, MOME, to reflect on the relationship between that visit and the present.
Ask Pierre a Question and Have Your Book Signed
The evening includes an audience Q&A, giving guests the opportunity to put their own questions to Pierre. Whether you’re interested in Vasarely’s art, the family’s memories or the work of preserving an artist’s legacy, this part of the programme opens the conversation to the room.
A book signing will follow. Pierre will sign copies of Vasarely regényes évszázada, written with Philippe Dana and published in Hungarian by Prae Publishing. Copies will be available to buy during the evening, or you can bring your own.
Although the book is in Hungarian, the conversation itself will be entirely in English, without interpretation.
Begin the Evening at Gerbeaud’s Dessert Table
Before the discussion begins, guests can visit the Gerbeaud dessert table in the Atrium Hall from 7 pm. Arriving early gives you time to enjoy this part of the evening before the conversation starts at 7:30 pm.
For visitors seeking something beyond a conventional sightseeing programme, the event brings together an artistic subject, a personal family perspective and a central Budapest café setting.
Essential Event Details
- Event: Gerbeaud KULT: An Evening with Pierre Vasarely
- Date: Friday, November 20, 2026
- Time: 7:30 pm–9:30 pm
- Dessert table: Available from 7 pm
- Venue: Gerbeaud Café, Atrium Hall
- Address: 7–8 Vörösmarty Square, Budapest 1051
- Speakers: Pierre Vasarely and Professor Attila Horányi, PhD, representing MOME
- Language: English, without interpretation
- Programme: Conversation about Victor Vasarely’s artistic legacy and family history, personal photographs, audience Q&A and book signing
- Book signing: Vasarely regényes évszázada, a Hungarian-language book available to purchase at the event; guests may also bring their own copy
- Tickets: Advance booking encouraged; the ticket price was not specified in the supplied event information
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