
ABOUT
Alison Flora is a pluri-disciplinal artist living in Toulouse, south of France. From a fine arts course, Alison draws inspiration from medieval representations, alternative cultures and everything related to esoterism. In her drawings, paintings, videos and installations, she explores the expression of "contemporary hell" (stress, social anxiety, trauma...) calls upon a universe where mysticism, fantasy and madness merge. Influenced by the work of Roland Topor, Genesis P-Orridge, Boleslaw Biegas, J.R.R Tolkien, she exorcises her fears, her obsessions, through dramatic-humorous universe in a sort of ritualized therapy. Her latest project is a series of drawings, painted with her own blood (harvested using blood test), questioning the simulacrum of violence and resistance and the act of magic.
Alison Flora paints with her own blood, according to a precisely framed protocol that is similar to a real ritual. The paintings made with this substance with a strong symbolic charge reveal a taste for the surreal setting. Some of his most significant works describe eloquent female figures at the heart of Gothic inspired architecture. Reflection of the artist's intimate reflections, these images do not fail to resonate at a time when we are rethinking the place of women through the story.
Blood is inherently ambivalent. It has played and continues to play a fundamental role in all civilisations. Blood defiles and purifies, it is masculine and feminine, pompous or fatal, beneficial or dangerous, and spreading it can be a crime or sacred act. The blood carries within it an instinctive emotional strength. In this, painting with human blood, but especially his own blood brings a feeling of hyper proximity in the very act of painting.
Alison Flora is represented by parisian DS Galerie since June 2023.
Education
2015 - 2017
ESA Pyrénnées, DNSEP Art (Master's degree)
2012 - 2015
ESA Pyrénnées, DNAP Art (Bachelor's degree)
Exhibitions
2023
DEXIOSIS curated by Emmanuelle Luciani invited by Olivier Amsellem, Jogging Marseille, galerie 1993, Marseille, FR, sept 14th- oct 4th
Sono Vision festival (Nouveau Printemps), curated by Lieu Commun artist-run space, Toulouse, FR, june 9th
Etats d'âme, DS Galerie, Le salon, curated by Thomas Havet, Paris, FR, may 24th - June 26th
J'aime la vie quand t'es là, group show, curated by Elisa Rigoulet, Exo Exo, Paris, FR, april 14th - may 7th
History of Fantasy II, group show, Cob gallery, curated by Emmanuelle Luciani, Southway studio, London, UK, april 6th - may 6th
Immortelle, group show MO.CO, La Panacée, Montpellier, FR, march 10th - may 7th
2022
Mezzanine Sud, Toulouse, FR, Dec 11th - may 7th
66ème Salon de Montrouge, FR, oct 13th - nov 1th
Hagazussa, Kruger artist run space, group show, Stockholm, Sweden, sept 23th - oct 6th
La Cérémonie, duo show with Floryan Varennes, curated by Thomas Delamarre, MAGCP, FR, march 20th - may 29th
2021
MASS, group show curated by Goswell Road, Haus Wien, Austria
Relaunch The Dream Weapon, solo show, curated by Goswell Road at gallery
Sultana summer set Arles, FR, Sept 4th - Otc 31th
Iniation party, group show curated by Anna Frost, Ocean Hotel, Miami, USA
2020
Sorcières et Chamanismes, group show curated by AJ Dirtystein, Galerie La Papesse, Toulouse, FR.
2019
Flowers of Khaos, group show, 182 avenue C, Manhattann, New York, USA.
2018
Baleapop festival #9, Sabotage, group show, curated by Cécile Canot, Saint-jean de Luz, FR.
2017
Drawing Room 017, group show as part of the MAIF Young Talents Award, La Panacée, Montpellier, FR.
Awards - Interventions - Residencies
2023
Part of the jury Mezzanine sud - Prix des amis des Abattoirs, Toulouse, France
Pavillon southway studio residency
Aide à la création de la région Occitanie
2022
Lauréate, Mezzanine Sud, Toulouse, France
Aide à la création , Direction régionale des affaires culturelles
2018
Sabotage residency , Tropisme x Baleapop 9, Saint-jean de Luz, France.
2017
Art café "La musique d'affiche aussi", Intervention in the context of the exhibition Variation sur un même thème at Le Parvis, Art Center, Tarbes, France.