Johan Creten

A key figure in the revival of ceramics in contemporary art, the Paris-based artist Johan Creten has been working in numerous locations for almost forty years, from Mexico to Rome, from Miami to The Hague.

Since the 1980s, when ceramics were still considered taboo in the art world, Johan Creten’s dedication and innovation in clay have led to the development of unique and virtuoso techniques. Renowned for his allegorical sculptures in ceramic and bronze, Creten depicts a world full of poetry, lyricism, and mystery. Yet his work not only highlights the importance of beauty but also resonates socially and politically, affirming his humanist commitment. Johan Creten advocates for “Slow Art,” a return to introspection and an exploration of the world with all its individual and social afflictions.

Today, Johan Creten's works are in the collections of prestigious museums such as the Centre Pompidou, the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, the Cité de la Céramique in Sèvres, and the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature.

In 2005, the artist was invited to create a dialogue between his works and those of Bernard Palissy (1510-1589) at the Louvre for the Contrepoint 2 exhibition. In 2024, the artist took over the Musée des Beaux-Arts d'Orléans with a major exhibition featuring 120 works — the largest solo show dedicated to his art to date. Eleven monumental bronze sculptures remain on display throughout the city until the summer of 2026.

[SOLO SHOWS]

2025

- A Few Hidden Gems (special presentation), Panorama (Marais), Galerie Perrotin, Paris, France

2024

- Johan Creten, Far removed from the numbing speed, Almine Rech Gallery, London, UK

- Les Fabriques ou la Rage des Utopies, Domaine de la Garenne Lemot, Clisson, France

- Jouer avec le feu, Musée des Beaux-Arts d'Orléans, Orléans, France

- How to explain the Sculptures to an Influencer?, Perrotin Matignon, Paris, France

- Strangers Welcome, Galerie Perrotin, New York, USA

2023

- Le cœur qui déborde, Abbaye de Beaulieu-en-Rouergue, CMN, Ginals, France

- Installation Artistique "Johan Creten - La Grande Colonne", Musée de la Garenne Lemot, Gétigné, France

- Le Voyage à Nantes, Nantes, France

2022

- GOLD - Les ors d’Yves Saint Laurent, Musée Yves Saint Laurent, Paris, France

- Pilevneli Gallery, Bodrum / Muğla, Turkey

- BESTIARIUM, Almine Rech Gallery, Brussels, Belgium

- BESTIARIUM, Musée d'art et d'industrie André Diligent of Roubaix, Roubaix, France

2021

- C'est dans ma nature, Transit Gallery, Mechelen, Belgium

2020

- I Peccati, Villa Medicis, Roma, Italy

- Entracte, Galerie Perrotin, Paris, France

2019

- True Love, Leila Heller Gallery, Dubaï, United Arab Emirates

- Figur Natur Skulptur, Pilane, Sweden

- Mechelen Museumnacht , Transit Gallery, Mechelen, Belgium

- The Vivisector, Pilevneli Gallery, Istanbul, Turkey

- Rédemption, Église Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption, Valloire, France

- True Love, Leila Heller Gallery, Dubaï, United Arab Emirates

2018

- Pliny’s Sorrow, Château d’Arenberg, Leuven, Belgium

- Sunrise/Sunset, Galerie Perrotin, Paris, France

- Johan Creten, Beelden Aan Zee, Scheveningen, The Hague, The Netherlands

- Alfred Paintings, Galerie Perrotin, New-York, USA

- Naked Roots / Naakte Wortels, Museum Beldeen Aan Zee Scheveningen, Den Hague, The Netherlands

2017

- Between Day and Dream, Pilevneli Gallery, Istanbul, Turkey

- 8 Gods, Almine Rech Gallery, Brussels, Belgium

2016

- Terre Fertile / Terre Fébrile, Chateau de Pommard, Bourgogne, France

- La Traversée, Centre Régional d'Art Contemporain, Sète, France

2015

- The Nature of Clay, The Monaco Project for the Arts 2015 Pavillon Bosio - ESAP, Monaco

- God is a Stranger, Galerie Perrotin, New-York, USA

- In Situ 2015, Abbaye de Gellone, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, France

2014

- The Storm, Middelheim Museum, Sculpture Park, Antwerp, Belgium

- Middelheim Museum, Sculpture Park, Antwerp, Belgium

- Fireworks, Galerie Perrotin, Hong Kong

- Gulden Snede, Transit Gallery, Mechelen, Belgium

2013

- The Vivisector, Galerie Perrotin, Paris, France

- JC, Almine Rech Gallery, Brussels, Belgium

2012

- Fire-Works, Dhondt-Dhaenens Museum, Deurle, Belgium

2011

- Pliny's Sorrow, Almine Rech Gallery, Brussels, Belgium

- Les ruches de Saint Bernard, Abbaye du Thoronet, in collaboration with the Centre des Monuments Nationaux, Thoronet, France

2010

- Dark Continent, Galerie Perrotin, Paris, France

- Presentation of the sculpture "De Zuil/La Colonne", Middelheimmuseum, Antwerp, Belgium

2009

- Why does Strange Fruit always look so sweet?, Saint-Séverin Gallery, Paris, France

2008

- Strange Fruit, Galerie Perrotin, Miami, USA

- Johan Creten : La Femmina, on the occasion of "Dégelée Rabelais", Musée Archéologique Henri-Prades, Lattes, France

- Johan Creten - De gewonden / Les Blessées, Keramiekmuseum Princessehof, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands

- Ex Natura, Musée de la Chasse, (in coproduction with the Manufacture National of Sèvres), Paris, France

2007

- Johan Creten. Tour des Forces, Royal Museum of Mariemont, Morlanwelz, Belgium

- Johan Creten. Beelden, Stedelijk Museum de Lakenhal, Leyde, The Netherlands

2006

- Narcissus Saved, Transit Gallery, Mechelen, Belgium

2004

- Miami Dreams, De Garage - Ruimte voor actuele kunst, Mechelen, Belgium

2003

- Johan Creten, Bass Museum of Art, Miami, USA

- Johan Creten, J. Johnson Gallery, Jacksonville Beach, Florida, USA

- Johan Creten. Sculpture, Elaine Baker Gallery, Boca Raton, Florida, USA

2001

- Johan Creten : 3 Torsos, Robert Miller Gallery, New York, USA

- C’est dans ma nature, Hôtel de Ville, Aulnay-sous-Bois, France

- En attendant les Égyptiens, Papillon Gallery, Paris, France

- Installation in collaboration with Extraits: 5 lieux investis. Art contemporain, paysage et économie, Les Rairies, Anjou, France

2000

- Johan Creten Ceramic Sculpture, Riva Yares Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA

- Animalia, Transit Gallery, Mechelen, Belgium

- Animalia, Cultural center of Bogaard, Sint-Truiden, Belgium

1999

- Que Maravilla, Que Maravilla..., Riva Yares Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA

- Johan Creten. Escultura Villa de García, Casa del Obispado, Monterrey, Mexico

1998

- L’homme parfait, MAMCO, Geneva, Switzerland

- Odore di Femmina, Robert Miller gallery, New York, USA

- Johan Creten: Works on Paper, Transit Gallery, Leuven, Belgium

- Sculptures récentes, School of Fine Arts, Dunkerque, France

1997

- La Misère Dorée, in conjunction with "Retours d’Italie", Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, France

- Johan Creten, La Box, Bourges, France

- Installation, Villa Medici, Roma, Italy

1996

- Wereldbeelden/De Voorkamer, W 139, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

1995

- Amerika Amerika, Arndt & Partner Gallery, Berlin, Germany

- Huis van bewaring - Marc Cloet en Johan Creten, Stedelijk Museum Het Toreke, Tienen, Belgium

1994

- La Mort d’Adonis, FRAC Auvergne, Château de Chareil-Cintrat, France

- La Mort d’Adonis, Musée Crozatier, Le Puy-en-Velay, France

- La Mort d’Adonis, Hesselbach Gallery, Berlin, Germany

- La Tête d’Obsidienne, La Seyne-sur-Mer, France

- Johan Creten, Beam Gallery, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

- Les Amants, Transit Gallery, Leuven, Belgium

- 60 rooms with a view, Art Hotel, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

1993

- Johan Creten, Galerie de la Villa, Villa Arson, Nice, France

1992

- Johan Creten. Het Paard van Troje/Le Cheval de Troie, 1986–1992, Transit Gallery, Leuven, Belgium

1991

- En Quarantaine, Brise-lames, Sète, France

- Incrustaties, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

1990

- Saint-Sodom & Stimulators, CIAP, Hasselt, Belgium

- L’œil de l’antiquaire, Transit Gallery, Leuven, Belgium

1988

- Kunstkamer, Meyer Gallery, Paris, France

1987

- Johan Creten: Peintures et sculptures, Meyer Gallery, Paris, France