Clara Desire
PROFILE
Clara Desire had an experience to live in Japan in 2002 and devoted herself to Japanese anime culture. Then she established her own style to absorb various anime characters into her artwork with graffiti touch. She also worked on illustrations in ELLE French version and the illustration for CD Jacket.
The art of Desire at the core is deeply influenced by the art of Jean-Michel Basquiat. However, while Basquiat art reflected a social theme such as discrimination and interest in anatomy from his experience of a car accident, the work created by Desire has nothing to do with them. She earnestly expresses her soul with poems and comic characters that she dotes on in her painting. Sometime one can see a sort of explosive energy in her work. That can be read as cry of her heart that might have a similarity with the action which Jackson Pollock exposes his emotions by dripping paints on canvas.
In the solo exhibition in 2021, Desire had felt a strong interest in Japanese anime and she had launched serious series on such topics.
Her new body of work reflects stories to confirm her whereabouts by the expression of revelatory characters and words to be appeared in her dreams repeatedly.
BIOGRAPHY
1978 Born in La Rochelle, France
PAST EXHIBITIONS
Solo Exhibitions：
2024 “Child Oddity” Sho+1, Tokyo
2021 “Muse Incorruptible | Everlasting Muse” Sho+1, Tokyo
2012 “While Dreaming, Sounds My Loud and Wild Cry” Hionas Gallery, New York
2008 Roppongi Hills, Tokyo
2008 T.Y. Harbor Brewery, Tokyo
2007 “All About Clara” Galerie Sho Contemporary Art, Tokyo
2006 – 2014 Permanent Exhibition, Restaurant Guy Savoy, Paris
Group Exhibitions：
2025 “Faces – Expressions Through the Face” Sho+1, Tokyo
2024 “fairy tale in a dream” Sho+1, Tokyo
2023 “Art Collaboration Kyoto (ACK)” Sho+1, Kyoto
2023 “ART FAIR ASIA FUKUOKA (AFAF)” Sho+1, Fukuoka
2022 “Illusion of Reality” GINZA TSUTAYA BOOKS FOAM COMTEMPORARY, Tokyo
2013 “The Armory Show” Galerie Sho Contemporary Art, New York
2013 Galerie SMAAKS, Paris
2012 “Art Platform – Los Angeles” Galerie Sho Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
2012 “The Armory Show” Galerie Sho Contemporary Art, New York
2011 “KIAF” Galerie Sho Contemporary Art, Seoul
2011 “ART FAIR TOKYO 2011” Galerie Sho Contemporary Art, Tokyo
2009 “KIAF” Galerie Sho Contemporary Art, Seoul
2009 “ART@AGNES” Galerie Sho Contemporary Art, Tokyo
2009 “Something Sweet Girls” Galerie Sho Projects, Tokyo
2008 “KIAF” Galerie Sho Contemporary Art, Seoul
2008 “ART OSAKA” Galerie Sho Contemporary Art, Osaka
2008 “ART@AGNES” Galerie Sho Contemporary Art, Tokyo
2007 “New Wave Contemporary Artists Exhibition” Galerie Sho Contemporary Art, Tokyo
2006 “Introduction of 3 Contemporary Indie Artists; Clara Desire, John Lurie, Betty Tompkins” Galerie Sho Contemporary Art, Tokyo
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