Voorlinden is proud to present the first major museum-wide retrospective of the work of Claire Tabouret (1981). The French painter’s solo exhibition showcases the remarkable breadth of her oeuvre, her boundary-defying practices, and her exploration of complex themes such as identity and human relationships. In addition to this solo exhibition, her stained-glass windows for Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris will be unveiled later in the year.
Painting on canvas, faux fur, plexiglass, bronze, and ceramics, no medium is beyond Tabouret’s reach. A figurative painter who stretches the traditional boundaries of her craft, she draws on art-historical themes while reflecting on human connections and the ways we see ourselves—both as individuals and as part of a collective. Her portraits often hold a mirror to the viewer: do you see strength, or vulnerability? Her palette is vibrant, sometimes almost fluorescent, at other times composed of delicate, translucent layers. Her work can be classical and romantic, yet dark and mysterious, infused with personal narratives, memories, and found imagery sourced from archives or the internet.
Claire Tabouret: ‘The human face is like the surface of water, always in motion, always elusive, never still. By painting myself, I can capture that fleeting state.’
Left: Claire Tabouret, Self-portrait as a Vampire, 2019 © Marten Elder
Right: Claire Tabouret, Les pleureuses (brun doré), 2023
Challenging Materials
At Voorlinden, Tabouret presents work from the past decade, including pieces created specifically for this exhibition. Visitors are greeted by a series of self-portraits in which she depicts herself as a vampire, clad in a hoodie. She then engages with traditional genres such as bathers, landscapes, mourning women, and reflections. Working with seemingly impossible materials, images of detainees, and unconventional crafts, she relinquishes control over the outcome of her work. Throughout her diverse oeuvre, echoes emerge between pieces and series, revealing an artist constantly testing both herself and her medium.
Suzanne Swarts, director Voorlinden: ‘I am incredibly proud that we are opening our anniversary year with this virtuoso artist; Claire Tabouret paints with precision, audacity, and great empathy.’
Claire Tabouret, The Last Day, 2016, Private Collection
Notre-Dame and Anniversary
2026 is a special year for both Claire Tabouret and Voorlinden; the museum will celebrate its tenth anniversary, and the French artist’s stained-glass windows will be installed in Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. She was selected for this commission by President Emmanuel Macron and the Archbishop of Paris, Laurent Ulrich, as part of the restoration following the major fire in 2019. In recent years, Tabouret’s star has risen internationally; her work has received widespread acclaim and is included in numerous museum collections, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal, and the Pérez Art Museum Miami. Voorlinden will host her first solo exhibition in the Netherlands. Tabouret was born in France, lived for ten years in Los Angeles, and returned to France in 2025.
Barbara Bos, head of exhibitions: ‘Claire Tabouret’s work is utterly compelling; it draws you in and lingers in your mind. This is due to her distinctive style, her colour palette, the tactile quality of her work, and her evocative subjects. Those gazes stay with you long after you leave the gallery.’
Claire Tabouret, Deux Baigneuses, 2021, Collection museum Voorlinden
Photo header: Ruud Baan
