Lives and works in Paris
French
MA & BA Fine Art Central St Martins, London.
Collections: Tate, Victoria and Albert Museum (UK), FRAC Paca (France), private collections.
Painting is the heart of Claire Deniau’s practice.
The artist relies on her French roots. The influence of historical French painting - Watteau, Fragonard, Morisot, Bonnard, Vuillard - has her engaged in a sensual, intuitive and passionate interaction with process and the material physicality.
As the artist’s body is fully involved in the process, she believes that it becomes part of the work; and therefore the underlying subject itself. A body which can can be anybody’s. This makes a subtle means of physical and emotional connection for the viewer. Body to body. Face to face.
In her latest work, 'All I know is that I know nothing’ Deniau begins writing on the canvas with oil pastels. This writing, between image and language, reveals forms. She then paints the forms to give them presence. Claire Deniau layers writing and painting until the painting reaches a balance between strength and fragility.
From one work to the next, she allows the gesture to reveal an unconscious exploration of form, colour, transparency, touch, and depth.
Through such a process she has experienced what Deleuze defines as « germinal chaos », which is basically a space and time in which to get lost before finding a way to give a painting its presence.
Claire Deniau persistently researches the various aspects of painting whether through the medium itself or photography, printmaking, installation, sculpture, drawing, video, and artist books.
CV
SOLO SHOWS
2019
All that glitter is gold, Galerie Koo, Hong Kong
2018
Senses & Lenses, Intersections gallery, Singapore
2014
Ricochets, Galerie Emeric Hahn, Paris
Un pas de côté, Galerie Mondapart, Boulogne
2009/10
Entre-deux, Musée Fragonard, Maisons-Alfort
2004
Réminiscences, Cité Internationale, Maison d'Italie, Paris
GROUP SHOWS - selection
2022 Sikka Art and Design Festival, Dubai
2021 Red Dot Art Fair with The House of Arts, Miami
2018 Pulse Art Fair Miami with Galerie Koo, Hong Kong
in (significant(2.1), Objectifs - Chapel gallery, Singapore
Scents of Asia, Intersections gallery, Singapore
2017
in(significant(2.0), Instinc Soho, Singapore
Draw/bridge, ARTHOUSE1, London
Castles in the air, Schloss Lekow, Poland
AMBruno, Show and Tell at Tate Britain, London
2016
One Belt One Road, Sotheby’s gallery, Hong Kong
53 books, Chelsea Library, London
2014
Berliner Liste 2014, Berlin
The London Art Book Fair, Whitechapel Gallery, London
20 ans IESA Multimédia, Espace Cardin, Paris
2013
Multiplied 2013, Christie’s, London
Publish And Be Damned, ICA, London
2012
Surfaces: Works on Paper, Spu+Nik gallery, Porto, Portugal
At Play 2012, New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham, UK
International Leeds Artists’ Book Fair, The Parkinson Court, Leeds
The London Art Book Fair, Whitechapel Gallery, London
2011
Project 101, The Lab Gallery, New York
The London Art Book Fair, Whitechapel Gallery, London
At Play 3, South Hill Park Art Centre, Bracknell, UK
2010
Visions in the Nunnery, The Nunnery Gallery, London
The London Art Book Fair, Whitechapel Gallery, London
13th International Leeds Artists’ Book Fair, The Parkinson Court, Leeds
2009
The NY Art Book Fair, P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center, New York
AM Bruno Artist Books, Bookartbookshop, London
2008
Manchester Artist Book Fair, Manchester School of Art, Manchester
Liverpool Artist Book Fair, Liverpool Independent Biennale, Liverpool
2007
II.472, The Bargehouse, London
2006
Identikit, Temporarycontemporary, London
Works on Paper, Flux Factory, New York
2005
Contact, Espace Lhomond, Paris
Sedicious Delicious : a ‘Taste of Art’, Crawford Arts Centre, St Andrews
Project 142, London Fraenkelstein Salon, London
2004
Food, Glorious Food, Visual Art Centre, Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire
2003
Obsessions, Five Princelet Street, London
Mutiny, The Bargehouse, London
2002
Bite, The Menier Gallery, London
Hunting Art Prize, Royal College of Art, London
RESIDENCY / COLLABORATION
ESSILOR - World leader in ophtalmic optics - 2016/2018
Inspired by the unique know-how of the Special Lenses Unit (SL Lab) of world’s leading ophthalmic optics company, Essilor and the artistic possibilities offered by the optical lenses, Claire Deniau, has created works incorporating 23 special mineral lenses with unique geometries made specifically for these creations.
This unprecedented collaboration highlights the link between art and vision. Hubert Sagnières, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Essilor International, says about the collaboration: “At Essilor, we have made it our mission to protect and correct the vision of everyone, everywhere in the world. Today, we are incredibly proud of our collaboration with Claire Deniau, an artist of world renown. By integrating custom-made lenses from our Special Lenses Laboratory (SL Lab) in France, Claire makes it possible for viewers to admire her work in the smallest details. She also wonderfully underscores the natural link between art and vision, and shines a spotlight on Essilor’s unparalleled craftsmanship and know-how.”