We are excited to announce the representation of French-Dominican artist Karla Hiraldo Voleau at Christophe Guye Galerie. Known for her unique blend of performance and photography, she intricately weaves images and text to craft personal and narrative series. Often assuming the role of the main character, she delves into the complexities of human interactions, exploring themes of love, sexuality, friendship, and social dynamics. Her work seeks to uncover the juncture where 'real life' intersects with art, delving into the nuanced points of tension within.

Karla, born in 1992, is known for her innovative photographic work. She earned her Master of Arts in Photography from ECAL University of Arts and Design (Switzerland) in 2018, where she developed her acclaimed project 'Hola Mi Amol.' This project was later published as her debut photo book in 2019, receiving recognition as a laureate of the VFG Swiss Young Talents for Photography and being shortlisted at Paris Photo for the Aperture First Book Awards 2019.

Initially, she undertook the task of deconstructing stereotypes surrounding Dominican and Latino men. However, in her recent works, she has shifted her focus towards the exploration of gender and its visual representations. This transition is marked by a greater incorporation of performance art, as seen in projects like 'A Man in Public Space' and her latest series, 'Another Love Story,' which was inspired by a real-life heartbreak. Through these portraits and visual experiments, she contributes to a broader exploration of the female gaze.

Hiraldo Voleau's talent has been widely acknowledged, as evidenced by her selection as a Foam Talent in 2020 and her receipt of the Olympus Recommended Fellowship in the same year. She has also been awarded multiple grants by the Swiss Foundation for Culture Pro Helvetia in support of her production and research endeavors. Notably, she was a resident artist at the Cité Internationale des Arts of Paris from 2022 to 2023.

Her groundbreaking work has been showcased internationally, including exhibitions at prestigious venues such as Art Basel, Biennale de l’Image Possible of Liège, and Photo London. In 2022, she premiered her first solo exhibition titled 'Another Love Story' at the Maison Européenne de la Photographie (MEP) in Paris, which subsequently toured various renowned institutions worldwide, including the Photoforum Pasquart in Biel/Bienne, Foto Forum of Bolzano, and the International Center for Photography in New York City in 2023. The accompanying book 'Another Love Story,' published by Mörel Books in 2023, was lauded by Nathalie Herschdorfer, Director of Photo Elysée, as one of the best photography books of the year.

Karla Hiraldo Voleau's educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Design with a specialization in Photography from Ecole de Condé, Paris (France) in 2016, preceding her Master's degree at ECAL.

On February 24th, the exhibition "How Language Invents the World" will open at the Museum of Fine Arts in Chur, Switzerland. Hiraldo Voleau will be among the esteemed artists featured, including Marcel Duchamp, Jenny Holzer, Barbara Kruger, and others.

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