Ana Karkar's paintings have a distant memory of films, not at all virtuous, more haunted than exact. Ana Karkar paints these images of films as they continue to live in us, after their projection, inhabiting the back of our mind: caution, a permanent storm.
— Philippe Azoury, Journalist and Film Critic
Ana Karkar is a French-American artist based in Paris, whose work draws upon influences from the Vienna Secession. In her paintings of nudes, twisted and entwined bodies form a danse macabre reminiscent of Egon Schiele, or are joined in passionate freedom, echoing Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss.
Karkar’s mastery of gesture shines through in her exploration of the interplay between abstraction and figuration, between human and hybrid figures. Her vibrant palette, often framed by striking blues, captures the viewer’s attention. The chiaroscuro in her work evokes scenes reminiscent of cinematography. Her art is deeply influenced by the collective unconscious, particularly experimental horror cinema, which she deftly weaves into her own unique visual language, creating a captivating dialogue.
Recent solo and group exhibitions include Whole Cookie at Almine Rech, London, GB (2024, solo), LOVECHILD at Almine Rech, Brussels, BE (2024, solo), Blackout Romeo at Behind The Door, Paris, FR (2024, group), ART021 Shanghai fair with Galerie Marguo (2023, group), KIAF SEOUL fair with Galerie Marguo (2023, solo) and Box of Earth at Baert Gallery, Los Angeles, US (2023, solo).
Born in San Francisco, United States in 1986
Currently lives and works in Paris, France
EDUCATION
2016 | TURPS Art School, London, UK |
2010 | Université Panthéon-Sorbonne, Arts et Sciences de l'Art, Paris, France |
2008 | École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Paris |
2004 | San Francisco Art Institute, USA |
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024 |
Almine Rech, Whole Cookie, London, UK |
2023 |
Almine Rech, LOVECHILD, Brussels, Belgium |
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Galerie Marguo, Kiaf Seoul 2023, Seoul, Korea |
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Baert Gallery, Box of Earth, Los Angeles, CA |
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Nosbaum Reding, Art Brussel, Brussel, Belgium |
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Nosbaum Reding, Villains Vault, Luxembourg |
2022 |
Galerie Marguo, Return From Exile, Paris, France |
2019 |
DZIALDOV, We value your privacy, Berlin, Germany |
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Copie Service, Spine to Perform an Exorcism, Paris, France |
2018 |
Le Consulat de la Gaité, Where there’s smoke, Paris, France |
2015 |
Meta-Gallery, Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami, Unmanifest Territories, North Miami, FL |
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024 |
Galerie Marguo, Deli Dali, Paris, France |
2023 |
Galerie Marguo, Art021 Shanghai Contemporary Art Fair, Shanghai, China |
2022 |
Galerie Marguo, ART021 Shanghai Contemporary Art Fair, Shanghai, China |
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Nosbaum Reding, Fundamental Occurrences, Brussels, Belgium |
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Minus 1 Gallery, Tokyo, Japan |
2021 |
N.104 Gallery, Seasons of Nebula, Tokyo, Japan |
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ArtParis & Hors Cadre at Grand Palais Ephémère, Portraits et figuration. Regard sur la scène francaise, curated by Hervé Mikaeloff, Paris, France |
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König Galerie, MISA Discoveries, Berlin, Germany |
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König Galerie, Messe in St Agnes, Berlin, Germany |
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Tata bookshop, Iwakan 2, Tokyo, Japan |
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Horscadre, Intimations, Paris, France |
2020 |
Nosbaum Reding, Brussels Galerie Ephémère, Brussels, Belgium |
2019 |
Nosbaum Reding, Just So Stories, Luxembourg |
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Galerie PCP, Café Spit, Paris, France |
2018 |
SFMOMA, Submission Friday, online |
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Laundry Artspace, Colourful Chaos by FluxKUNST, Brisbane, Australia |
2017 |
DZIALDOV, L'homme Sauvage, Berlin, Germany |
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Andrew Edlin Gallery, Et Tu, Art Brute?, New York, NY |
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La Galerie 36 rue Notre Dame de Nazareth, Night School, Paris, France |
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Zaratan Arte Contemporânea, BYOB_Lx, Lisbon, Portugal |
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DZIALDOV, …why not hug the strangers., Berlin, Germany |
2016 |
SFMOMA, Submission Friday, online |
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Turps Correspond, The Artworks, Halifax, UK |
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IR11, Edinburgh, UK |
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Londonewcastle Project Space, London, UK |
2015 |
DZIALDOV, Malfunction, Berlin, Germany |
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Glasgow Openhouse, Cold on the Outside, Glasgow, UK |
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Passage Choiseul, FTO #2, Paris, France |
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Assembly House, Figure This Out, Leeds, UK |
2014 |
Turps Painting Studio, Correspond, London, UK |
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DZIALDOV, Re-Boot, Berlin, Germany |
2012 |
Galerie Christian Berst, Surf Your Mind, Paris, France |
2010 |
Centre Commerciale Sans Commerce, CHIC Art Fair, Cité de la Mode et du Design, Paris, France |
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Centre Culturel Auguste Dobel, Chez Jack, Paris, France |
2009 |
« La Petite Ceinture » 75020, Chemins de Fer, Paris, France |
2008 |
Centre Saint Charles, Untitled, Paris, France |
2006 |
Carrousel du Louvre, I V Y Paris, Paris, France |
COLLECTIONS
He Art Museum, Foshan, China
Zhi Art Museum, Chengdu, China
Longlati Foundation, Shanghai, China
Yageo Foundation, Taiwan
Ståhl Collection, Sweden
GRANTS / RESIDENCIES
2014 | Atelier Austmarka Artist in Residence Grant, Norway |
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Ana KarkarUntil he appeared again, 2024Oil on linen160 x 220 cm (63 x 86 ⅝ in)
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Ana KarkarCold wave, 2023Oil on canvas220 x 160 cm (86 5/8 x 63 in)
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Ana KarkarCall Me Snake, 2022Oil on linen130 x 195 cm (51 1/8 x 76 3/4 in)
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Ana KarkarDe la Mort à la Vie (Orangutan), 2022Oil on linen160 x 220 cm (63 x 86 5/8 in)
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Ana KarkarGhosted, 2022Oil on linen46 x 61 cm (18 1/8 x 24 in)
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Ana KarkarMeat dreams, 2022Oil on canvas162 x 130 cm (63 3/4 x 51 1/8 in)
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Ana KarkarReal Live Wire, 2022Oil on linen146 x 114 cm (57 1/2 x 44 7/8 in)
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Ana KarkarSirens In the Beat of Your Heart, 2022Oil on canvas130 x 195 cm (51 1/8 x 76 3/4 in)
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Ana KarkarTrack in the Back, 2022Oil on linen92 x 65 cm (36 1/4 x 25 5/8 in)
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Ana KarkarAss Grab, 2021Oil on canvas61 x 46 cm (24 x 18 1/8 in)
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Ana KarkarBiceps, 2021Oil on canvas92 x 73 cm (36 1/4 x 28 3/4 in)
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Ana KarkarFever, 2021Oil on canvas97 x 130 cm (38 1/4 x 51 1/8 in)
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Ana KarkarPrism, 2021Oil on canvas130 x 162 cm (51 1/8 x 63 3/4 in)
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Ana KarkarRoll back, 2021Oil on canvas162 x 130 cm (63 3/4 x 51 1/8 in)
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Ana KarkarHolographic Lover, 2020Oil on canvas130 x 195 cm (51 1/8 x 76 3/4 in)
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Ana KarkarJump Into My Mouth and Breathe the Stardust, 2020Oil on canvas130 x 195 cm (51 1/8 x 76 3/4 in)
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Ana KarkarWhip, 2019Oil on canvas110 x 180 cm (43 1/4 x 70 7/8 in)
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Ana KarkarNo Sleep Elm Street, 2018Oil on canvas200 x 300 cm (78 3/4 x 118 1/8 in)
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Ana KarkarOde to Camille, 2018Oil on canvas200 x 300 cm (78 3/4 x 118 1/8 in)
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Ana KarkarStreaming through, 2017Oil on canvas60 x 50 cm (23 5/8 x 19 3/4 in)
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Purple Magazine: PurpleART “Deli Dali” a group exhibition at Galerie Marguo Paris, on view until December 7th
Purple Magazine, 2024年11月13日 -
Artsy: 10 Must-See Shows during Art Basel Paris 2024
Sarah Moroz, Artsy, 2024年10月11日 -
*Discoveries Ana Karkar
Gallery Weekend Berlin, GALLERY WEEKEND BERLIN -
Le Quotidien de l'Art | Il y a du Schiele chez Ana Karkar !
Armelle Malvoisin , Le Quotidien de l'Art , 2021年9月8日