Bernard BUFFET

Galerie Taménaga Tokyo is pleased to announce a retrospective exhibition of Bernard Buffet (1928-1999), the master of 20th-century French modern figurative painting. The exhibition will run from September 21 to October 20, 2024. This marks the first exhibition at the Tokyo gallery in five years and will feature approximately 35 works that trace Buffet’s life from his early to late periods.

Buffet quickly rose to prominence in the French art world during the height of abstract painting, becoming known for his figurative works characterized by bold, sharp black lines and distinctive colors. The founder of Galerie Taménaga, Kiyoshi Tamenaga, recognised Buffet’s talent early on and had an exclusive contract for Asia in 1969. Since the gallery’s founding, we have introduced Buffet’s works throughout Japan and worldwide for over half a century.

This exhibition includes works from the late 1940s, when Buffet’s unique style was first established, to his final pieces in the 1990s. It showcases a variety of styles, from the subdued still life paintings of his early years, which resonated with the post-war generation, to the more dynamic works of the 1960s, such as Nature Morte à la Corbeille de Fruits. The exhibition also features Conciergerie (1988), a late-period work in which Buffet portrayed Paris’s famous landmarks with his characteristic vertical lines. Additionally, the exhibition includes pieces that reflect his childhood interest in museology and diverse subject matters such as insects, clowns, and cars, providing a comprehensive overview of the artist.