Vulva

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