Kimiko Yoshida is a Japanese visual artist living and working in France, Venice and Tokyo. Kimiko Yoshida has been concentrating on this series of intangible self-portraits which can be read as a quest for the hybridization of cultures, for the transformation of the being, and perhaps even as a deletion of identities. The metamorphosis of her own identity into a multiplicity of identifications expresses the fading of uniqueness, the "deconstruction" of the self.
Kimiko Yoshida was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1963. Feeling oppressed as a woman, she left Japan in 1995 and moved to France to pursue her artistic ambitions. “Since I fled my homeland to escape the mortifying servitude and humiliating fate of Japanese women, I amplified through my art a feminist stance of protest against contemporary clichés of seduction, voluntary servitude of women, identity and the stereotypes of gender,” Yoshida says. She studied at the École Nationale Supérieure de la Photographie in Arles and the Studio National des Arts Contemporains in Le Fresnoy. Since gaining her artistic freedom, Kimiko Yoshida has been working prolifically. Her work revolves around feminine identity and the transformative power of art. In her project, “Painting, Self-Portrait” she wears elaborate costumes and paints her skin in a monochrome color that matches the background. The monochromatic elements accentuate the fashion of Yoshida’s costumes and drown out the individuality of the artist.
The most recent projects of Kimiko Yoshida include a personal exhibition in the Ruarts Gallery within the parallel program of Photobiennale 2018 (Moscow, Russia, 2018), a joint exhibition with Karen Kroll «The Boundaries Between» in the Holden Luntz Gallery (Palm Beach, Florida, USA, 2019) and a solo exhibition «Baroques» in the Fondation Salomon pour l’art contemporain (Annecy-le-Vieux, France, 2019).
She continues to exhibit worldwide, and her work is found in the permanent collections of such museums as The Museum of Fine Arts in Houston (USA), The Israel Museum in Jerusalem (Israel), Tel Aviv Museum of Art (Israel), The Soumaya Museum in Mexico City (Mexico), The European House of Photography in Paris (France), Foundation Guerlain in Paris (France), Ruarts Foundation in Moscow (Russia) and other museums and galleries around the world.
Works
Solo exhibitions
2020
Biennale d'arte del vetro contemporaneo. Museo Civio. Sansepolcro, Italy
Senza Immagine. Cultural Centre La Cupula. Merida (Yucatan), Mexico
Iridescent Beauty. JL Modern Gallery. Palm Beach, USA
2019
The Ashes of My Art. The Venice Glass Week. Venice, Italy
The Boundaries Between. Holden Luntz Gallery. Palm Beach, Fl, USA
Baroques. Fondation Salomon pour l’art contemporain. L’Abbaye, Annecy-le-Vieux, France
2018
Personal exhibition. Photobiennale 2018. Ruarts Gallery. Moscow, Russia
2017
Muga. Selflessness. The Wilfrid Israel Museum. Hazorea, Israel
My Glass Self. The Venice Glass Week. Venice, Italy
Painting. Self-portrait. Schouwburg. Amstelveen, Netherlands
Peinture & Photographie. Galerie Dukan. Paris, France
2016
Grimasques. Musée du Masque, Binche, Belgium
Masques de soi. Japan Cultural Center - Embassy of Japan. Brussels, Belgique
True Lights. Rosas & Xocolate, Merida, Mexico
2015
Paris Photo Los Angeles (Mariane Ibrahim Gallery), Paramount Pictures Studios, Los Angeles, USA
Kyotographie. Noguchi-Ke. Kyoto, Japan
Who Am I? Venice in a Bottle, Venice, Italie
Luces Íntimas. Centro Cultural la Cúpula, Merida, Mexico
2014
Something Blue. Mariane Ibrahim Gallery, Seattle, WA, USA
Qui est KY? Pierre-Alain Challier Gallery, Paris, France
2013
Pourquoi Venise ? Pierre-Alain Challier Gallery, Paris, France
Paintings & Mirrors. Tanit Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon
Kimiko Yoshida. ALM, Ramatuelle, France
2012
I Love My Job. My Paintings, The Solo Project, Basel, Switzerland
L’Élision de l’image (Miroirs, Peintures). Musée du Pavillon de Vendôme-Dobler, Aix-en-Provence, France
2011
Paintings. Self-portraits. Ruarts Gallery, Moscow, Russia
Art Paris. Albert Benamou Gallery, Grand-Palais, Paris, France
2010
La ou je ne suis pas. Maison Europeene De La Photographie, Paris, France
Paintings. Self-portraits, Ralph Pucci International, New York, USA
Writings at Anne Fontaine. Parcours Saint-Germain-Des-Pres, Paris, France
2009
Smile. Municipal Fashion Museum, Hasselt, Belgium
Femmes du monde. Compagnies Du Monde, Paris, France
Sacred Mirror. Guy Pieters Gallery, Knokke, Belgium
The Brides of the World. Xin Dong Cheng Space For Contemporary Art, Beijing, China
2008
Espego Consagrado. Museo Molinos Del Rio Segura, Murcia, Spain
2007
Tudo o que nao seja eu. Centro Das Artes, Casa Das Mundas, Madeira, Portugal
Todo lo que no soy me interesa. Imaginart Gallery, Madrid, Spain
Ma morte n’en saura rien. D’Arte Venezia Gallery, Venice, Italy
2006
Sakura at Arthus-Bertrand, Parcours Saint-Germain-Des-Pres, Paris, France
Art Paris, Grand Palais, Paris, France
Self-portraits with a Comma. The Heder Contemporary Art, Tel-Aviv, Israel
Marry Me! Ruarts Gallery, Moscow, Russia
Raison de mort. Septembre De La Photographie, Lyon, France
2005
Birth of a Geisha. Transphotographiques, Broel Museum, Kortrijk, Belgium
Incarnations. Tribeca Issey Miyake, New York, USA
2004
Who Is Afraid of Kimiko? Antwerpen, Belgium
Monochrome Self-portraits. Rocket Gallery, London, Britain
2003
Marry Me! La Maison des Arts, Malakoff, France
2002
Being in the Light. Maison Delvaux, Brussels, Belgium
Princess Bamboo. Light Works Gallery, Yokohama, Japan
2001
Tokyo, vite! Centre National de la Photography (CNP), Paris, France
2000
Jérusalem, Tokyo, Venise, vite! Museum of Art. Herzylia, Israël
Group exhibitions
2022
Personal Space, a collective retrospective exhibition, The Ruarts Gallery, Moscow, Russia
2020
Femenino(s). Mercosul Biennale. Porto Alegre, Brazil
L'Impermanence poignante de tout. The Venice Glass Week. Venice, Italy
2019
Marie-Antoinette: Métamorphoses d’une image. La Conciergerie. Paris, France
Feria de Arte contemporaneo. Casa Faller. Merida (Yucatan), Mexico
Expanding Approaches to Photography. Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens. West Palm Beach, USA
Japonisme(s). Galerie PAC. Paris, France
2018
On a Pedestal. Dublin Castle. Dublin, Ireland
Narrated. Galerie Tanit. Munich, Germany
The Face: Portrait Evolution in Photography. The Bid Art Space. Pesaro, Marche, Italy
2017
Collectionner, le Désir inachevé. Musée des Beaux-Arts. Angers, France
D’un monde à l’autre. Fondation Salomon pour l’art contemporain. Annecy, France
20 ans pour Aubagnac. Galerie Pact. Paris, France
Où poser la tête ? Galerie Dukan. Leipzig, Germany
Japonismes. Galerie Pact. Paris, France
2016
Murano Oggi. Museo del Vetro. Venice, Italy
1936. Assemblee Nationale-Palais Bourbon. Paris, France
Où poser la tête? Institute of Contemporary Art Indian Ocean, Port Louis, Mauritius
Green Celadon. The Tel Aviv Artist House. Tel-Aviv, Israel
Miradas de Mujer. Imaginart Gallery. Barcelona, Spain
Make-up Time. Maison des Arts. Rouen, France
Stories Untold. Holden Luntz Gallery. Palm Beach, Fl, USA
Contemporary Voices in Color. Holden Luntz Gallery. Palm Beach, Fl, USA
L’Instance de la lettre. Galerie Marguerite Milin. Paris, France
La Mode au temps de l’impressionnisme. Musée de l'Horlogerie. Saint-Nicolas d’Aliermont, France
2015
Sweet 18. Kastel d’Ursel. Belgium
Où poser la tête? FRAC Réunion, Saint-Denis, La Réunion
Precious de Picasso a Jeff Koons. Vitratia Museum-Palazzo Nani Mocenigo. Venice, Italy
2014
The Wall. Antoine de Galbert’s Collection. La Maison Rouge. Paris, France
Glass + A. Opening Show. Vitratia Museum-Palazzo Nani Mocenigo. Venice, Italy
The Face of Beauty: The Inspired Portrait. Holden Luntz Gallery. Palm Beach, Florida, USA
Japon. Abbaye Saint André-Centre d’art contemporain. Meymac, France
All That Glitters. Holden Luntz Gallery. Palm Beach, Florida, USA
Summer Show. Galerie Patrice Trigano. Paris, France
White/Robe & Hide. Galerie 6 Mandel. Paris, France
Full Color Spectrum. Holden Luntz Gallery. Palm Beach, Florida, USA
2013
Self, Model and Self as Other. Museum of Fine Arts. Houston, Texas, USA
Re-Imagine, Re-Invent. Holden Luntz Gallery. Palm Beach, Florida, USA
Hikari. Contemporary Photography from Japan. National Institute of Design. Ahmedabad, India
Hikari. Contemporary Photography from Japan. Tasveer Arts. Bangalore, India
2012
Blanche est la couleur. Musée de la Tapisserie, Angers, France
Grafik Apparel. Interweaving Art & Fashion, London Print Studio, London, Britain
Performing for the Camera. Asu Art Museum, Tempe, USA
Blanche est la couleur. Passage de Retz, Paris, France
2011
There Where I Am Not. Ruarts Gallery, Moscow, Russia
I Promise I Love You - Caldic Collection. Kunsthal, Rotterdam, Netherlands
The Face: Evolution of Portrait in Photography. State Historical Museum, Novosibirsk, Russia
2010
C’est la vie. Musee Maillol, Paris, France
Itinéraires de l’elegance entre l’Orient et l’Occident. Fondation Boghossian, Brussels, Belgium
Lonarte 10. Dos Prazeres Gallery, Madeira, Portugal
2009
Maverick. Themes & Variations, London, Britain
Venice Projects, Museo D’Arte Contemporanea Berengo, Venice, Italy
2008
The hands of Art. Project by Ronny Van de Velde, Smak, Stedelijk Museum Voor Actuele Kunst, Gent, Belgium
International Photography Month, Simon Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand
Essences intensees. Art&Perfume, French Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
2007
Miroir, mon beau miroir. Maison Guerlain, Paris, France
Faccia Lei. Portraits in Translation, Arsenale Di Vanezia – Spasio Thesis, Venice, Italy
Art Is An Idea: The Moquay Collection. Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, Phœnix, Arizona, USA
Acquisitions 1999-2006, Maison Europeene De La Photographie, Paris, France
Essences insensees. Fukuoka Art Museum, Fukuoka, Japan
Essences insensees. Ayala Museum, Manila, Philippines
Face a Faces. Akuryri Art Museum, Akureyri, Iceland
Mickey Upside Down. Artcurial, Paris, France
2006
The 2005 Best of Show. Farmani Gallery of contemporary photography. Los Angeles, California, USA
Face to Face. City Art Centre. Edinburgh, Scotland
2005
We Are the World. Museo Nacional Reina Sofia. Madrid, Spain
The Bogey Man (after Goya). Chelsea Art Museum, New York, USA
Exhibitions
Exhibitions
Fine Arts Museum, Houston, Texas, USA
Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Halifax, Canada
The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel
Joey Tanenbaum Collection, Toronto, Canada
The Moquay Collection, Phoenix, USA
The Stephane Jansen Collection, Scottsdale, USA
Diane Von Furstenberg, New York, NY, USA
Ruarts Foundation, Moscow, Russia
Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Tel Aviv, Israel
Phoenix Insurances Ltd, Tel-Aviv, Israel
Jervis Center, Dublin, Ireland
Sheika Paula Mubarak Al-Sabah, Dar Noor, Kuwait
Univest Group, Kuwait City, Kuwait
Vehbi Koç Foundation Contemporary Art Collection, Istanbul, Turkey
Picciotto Collection, Beirut, Lebanon
Le Yacht Club Beirut, Lebanon
Zeit-Foto Salon, Tokyo, Japan
Kawasaki City Museum, Kawasaki, Japan
Grand Marble, Kyoto, Japan
The Marianne & Pierre Nahon Collection, Venice, Italy
The Linda & Guy Pieters Collection, Sint-Martens-Latem, Belgium
Lhoist Group, Bruxelles, Belgium
Maison Delvaux, Bruxelles, Belgium
The Caldic Collection, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Fototeca Nacional del Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH), Pachuca de Soto, Mexico
Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo (UAEH), Mexico
Cúpula Cultural Center (CCC), Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
Museo Soumaya, Mexico
Museo das Artes-Casa das Mudas, Madeira, Portugal
Ivorypress, Madrid, Spain
Collection David Brolliet, Geneva, Switzerland
Maison européenne de la photographie (MEP), Paris, France
Bibliothèque nationale de France (BNF), Paris, France
Denyse & Philippe Durand-Ruel, Paris, France
Bank Neuflize/ABN AMRO, Paris, France
Meeschaert Bank Collection, Paris, France
Price Waterhouse Coopers, Paris, France
AXA Art, Paris, France
Yves Klein Archives, France
Veuve Clicquot, Reims, France
Ville d’Angers, France
Ville des Baux-de-Provence, France
Arthus-Bertrand Jewellery, Paris, France
Puig Collection, Paris, France
Fondation Guerlain, Paris, France
Château La Coste, Provence, France
FRAC, La Réunion, France
Commission by Centre national de la photographie (CNP), Paris, France
Commission by Olympus France, Paris, France
Commission by Fondation Claude Pompidou, Paris, France
Commission by Olympus Europa, Hamburg, Germany
Biography
