Claude Karfiol
Claude Karfiol (b. 1954) lives and works as a freelance artist in Basel, Switzerland, and Alsace, France.
After studying literature at the Sorbonne in Paris, he initially worked as a dramaturge and producer for Swiss television before embarking on an artistic career in video, performance, and the visual arts. A key figure in the avant-garde independent Swiss theater scene, he quickly gained attention and acclaim throughout the German-speaking world for his exploration of experimental theatrical forms and his spectacular performances.
Since only the visual arts promised the artistic freedom and institutional independence he ultimately was looking for, Claude Karfiol decided in 2017—amidst a successful career and a multitude of demanding professional activities—to make a radical break: he decided to dedicate himself henceforth exclusively to developing his own artistic visual language in order to give form to his existential questions. "My images revolve around questions regarding the role of art within the tension between our longing for beauty and transcendence and the lethal forces of the destructive and unscrupulous capitalist system, we live in."
Painting Practice
Cut off from access to his studio and painting materials during the COVID-19 lockdowns, Claude Karfiol started as a digital novice experimenting with sketches on his laptop, using a standard mouse and the word-processing program Office Word. A rather bizarre undertaking for the task. However, this improvised approach evolved into a sophisticated technique, yielding a distinctive artistic signature that actually attracts the increasing attention of art lovers and collectors.
Notably and in close collaboration with the ARTMARATHON Collection the image NOBODY’S GHOST 052-12 (The Clown, 2026) became the first work by a Swiss artist to be included in the prestigious LITO Editions. In her illuminating essay on the painting, art historian and author Alexandra Steinacker-Clark describes Karfiol's body of work to date as ‘considered an outstanding achievement in contemporary art.’
Each picture is drawn meticulously by hand in Office Word, without the use of any drawing software, templates, or AI. The only way to guarantee the unmistakable atmosphere and unique spirit in the images. (With the exception of VASE and BRAVE NEW WORLD, using collaged elements of Claude Karfiols own photographic work and ALTARBILDER using collaged elements of the painting LA CRUCIFIXION by Alonso Cano c. 1640).
In their final form, the images are transformed into a mixed-media original using a multi-layered process or as a high-quality, museum-grade archival pigment print on Hahnemühle paper, available in very limited editions.
Purchasing
For information regarding details, pricing, terms and conditions of sale and shipping, or online access to additional images, please use the INQUIRY form or contact office@karfiol.art.