About
Born 1990 in Strasbourg, France. Based in rural Oxfordshire, England.Painter, Transdisciplinary Artist, Author & Socially Engaged Cultural Practitioner.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
· Forthcoming, Ochoryang - Busan, KR (2025)· Forthcoming , Mutty - Castiglione delle Stiviere, IT (2025)
· Dessins & Peintures – Ed. 03 (Winter), Tododo - Tokyo, JP (2024)
· Dessins & Peintures – Ed. 02 (Autumn), OBG eu - Kobe, JP (2024)
· Dessins & Peintures – Ed. 01 (Summer), Readan Deat - Hiroshima, JP (2024)
· Caring & Tender, Ao-Hata Books - Fukuoka, JP (2023)
· Caring & Tender, OBG - Kobe, JP (2022/23)
· Dreaming About Tomorrow, Nidi Gallery - Tokyo, JP (2022)
· Caring & Tender, Terrace Square Photo - Tokyo, JP (2022)
· Speaking With Paper, Geulwoll - Seoul, KR (2022)
· What if God was an Insect ? Ao-Hata Bookstore - Fukuoka, JP (2021)
· From Brown to Pink, From Pink to Green, Readan Deat - Hiroshima, JP (2020)
· The Things I made, Nidi Gallery - Tokyo, JP (2020)
· Meeting, Pon Ding - Taipei, TW (2020)
· Memories from the Ordinary, Tenoha Gallery Space - Milan, IT (2020)
· Tamil Diary, Totodo - Tokyo, JP (2019)
· Take Care - きをつけて, Nidi Gallery - Tokyo, JP (2018)
· Épistolaire Imaginaire - Merci, Galerie Jean Francois Kaiser - Strasbourg, FR (2017)
· Épistolaire Imaginaire - Le Refuge, Egg - London, UK (2016)
· Épistolaire Imaginaire - Les Fleures du Japon, IKO IKO Space - Los Angeles, USA (2015)
· Épistolaire Imaginaire - わけあうことば , Utrecht/NOW ideA - Tokyo, JP (2014)
Selected showcase
· Do not step on the Flowowos (Flowers), Camden Art Centre - London, UK (2023)Selected Group Exhibitions
· Soil: The World at our Feet, SomersetHouse - London, UK (2025)· The Equal Right to Live and Blossom, Kate MacGarry - London, UK (2024)
· Routes of Resistance, Skissernas Museum - Lund, SE (2024)
· TERRA, Beaune - Bourgogne, FR (2024)
· DIFFRACTION, Artothèque Neudorf - Strasbourg, FR (2024)
· Ulises: Assembly, TUAG’s Grossman & Anderson Galleries at SMFA at Tufts campus - Boston, USA (2024)
· Absenced, Stadsbiblioteket i Malmö - Malmo, SE(2024)
· Edge Effects, Whitechapel Gallery - London, UK (2024)
· Ponderings over tea, Gallery 1 + 5- Oxford, UK (2024)
· A Textile Assembly, Staffordshire St - London, UK (2024)
· One Foot In The Sky, Contemporary Sculpture Fulmer - Slough, UK (2023)
· Untitled, Picture Room - New York, USA (2023)
· Flower Beds, Hweg Gallery - Penzance, UK (2023)
· Oxfordshire Artweeks - Oxfordshire, UK (2023)
· abC Art, Ming Contemporary Art Museum McaM - Shanghai, CN (2023)
· Penser, Manger, Partager II, Lewisham Arthouse for Deptford X - London, UK (2022)
· New Nature , Paterson Zevi Gallery - London, UK (2022)
· Oxfordshire Artweeks - Oxfordshire, UK (2022)
· By your side, HOME - London, UK (2022)
· Outside, Together, Funk - Cologne, DE (2021)
· Avec ce qui reste, Ravisius Textor - Nevers, FR (2021)
· MK Calling, MK Gallery - Milton Keynes, UK (2020)
· Blank Space Library, Exposed Art Projects - London, UK (2019)
· Tea Today, Nidi Gallery - Tokyo, JP (2019)
· Run Home, The Hankyu Event Hall - Osaka, JP (2019)
· Nieves : Zine Wall, Amala Gallery - Tokyo, JP (2019)
· Run Home, Bridget Donahue Gallery - New York, USA (2018)
· Inaka no Hana Nidi Gallery, Tokyo, JP (2017)
· Douceurs de l'imperceptible, Tender Books - London, UK (2016)
· To Hide To Show , MAMA Gallery - LA, USA (2015)
· Thoughts; Empire, Faith and War, Brunei Gallery - London, UK (2014)
· Mulhouse 010, Le Musée des Beaux Arts de Mulhouse - FR (2010)
Selected Film Screenings
· Camden Art Centre - London, UK (2023)· V&A Museum - London, UK (2022)
· Ao-Hata Bookstore - Fukuoka, JP (2021)
· Pon Ding - Taipei, TW (2020)
· Nidi Gallery - Tokyo, JP (2020)
· Design Museum - London, UK (2018)
· Galerie Jean-Francois Kaiser - Strasbourg, FR (2017)
· Iko Iko - Los Angeles, USA (2015)
Selected Public & Private Collections
Design Museum (Gent, BE)Booklet Art Library (Tokyo, JP)
Clinique Rhena (Strasbourg, FR)
Garden Museum Archive (London, UK)
Le Centre de Documentation AWARE (Paris, FR)
La Ville de Strasbourg, Artothèque (Strasbourg, FR)
Los Angeles Contemporary Archives (Los Angeles, USA)
La Médiathèque de l'Institut Français du Royaume-Uni (London, UK)
Grants
Society of Authors Grant - Drusilla Harvey Access Fund (2023)Arts Council England (2020)
MTArt Support for research in Japan (2016)
Selected Art Commissions
Ground & Sound - Southbank Centre, England (2023)Penser, Manger, Partager II - Deptford X, England (2022)
Artist Residencies
· BOAN1942 - Seoul, KR (2023)· O Apartamento x Carpe Diem Arte e Pesquisa - Lisbon, PT (2016)
Awards
· Portrait of Britain Vol.6 - Winner (2024)Selected Public Talk
· Growing Together: Summer Garden Assembly (panel) at Design Museum - London, UK (2024)· Creative Nature - A Restoration Toolkit for Artists & Activists, Marmalade Festival, Old Fire Station - Oxford, UK (2024)
· Johanna Tagada Hoffbeck: Artist, Gardener, Publisher at BOANBOOKS, BOAN1942 - Seoul, KR (2023)
· Arts & Horticulture in conversation with Learning Curator George Collum, Camden Art Centre - London, UK (2023)
· Relating to Hilma af Klint’s Paintings – Johanna Tagada Hoffbeck on the occasion of Exploring Hilma af Klint’s Spiritual Quest Through Art - Rudolf Steiner House - London, UK (2023)
· Johanna Tagada Hoffbeck: Permaculture and Poetics hosted by Charlotte Jansen - Tate Lates series at Tate Modern - London, UK (2023)
· Talk: Recipe For Zine Making - The Zine Fair at The Bodleian Libraries - Oxford, UK (2023)
· Architecture and space in ‘Journal du Thé’ and ‘Penser, Manger, Partager’ at Archipel Centre de Culture Urbaine, Musée des Beaux Arts - Lyon, FR (2020)
· In conversation with T. S. Wendelstein at Nidi Gallery - Tokyo, JP (2019)
· An introduction to ‘Penser, Manger, Partager’ on the occasion of No Ocean, No Life, on invitation of Å Journal, Ofr - Copenhagen, DK (2018)
· In conversation with Rio Tomo, Galerie Jean-Francois Kaiser - Strasbourg, FR (2017)
· MTArt Conference Ellie Tsatsou & Johanna in conversation, Art Rooms - London, UK (2016)
· Speaker at MTArt Conference, Contemporary Artists - Contextual Realities, Institute of Contemporary Arts - London, UK(2015)
Guest Lecturer
· V&A Academy - Museums Working with Artists: Collaborative Practices (2024)· Oxford Brookes University - Master Fine Art Students (2024)
Curatorial
· Tea Today, Nidi Gallery, Tokyo, JP (2019)· Inaka no Hana, Nidi Gallery, Tokyo, JP (2017)
· Douceurs de l'imperceptible, Tender Books, London, UK (2016)
Selected Art & Art Book Fairs
· Offprint - London, UK (2024)· abC Art Book Fair - Shanghai, CN (2023)
· Tokyo Art Book Fair - Tokyo, JP (2022)
· Photo London - London, UK (2022)
· Offprint - London, UK (2019)
· Offprint - Paris, FR (2018)
· Offprint - London, UK (2018)
· Offprint - London, UK (2016)
· Offprint - Paris, FR (2015)
· Paris Photo LA - Los Angeles, USA (2015)
· Tokyo Art Book Fair - Tokyo, JP (2014)
· Medium Cool - Chicago, USA (2014)
· Tokyo Art Book Fair - Tokyo, JP (2012)
Languages
· Native/Fluent: French, German, English,· Intermediate/Beginner: Japanese, Punjabi, Arabic, Hindi, Tamil, Korean
Education
· Certified Carbon Literate by The Carbon Literacy Project (2024)· Diplôme d'Université de Coréen 1ère année, Université Bordeaux Montaigne - FR (2024 -Present)
· Assistant Teacher Course Student at Ohara School of Ikebana - JP & UK (2024 - Present)
· Korean Language - Beginner at Oxford University Department of Continuing Education - Oxford, UK(2023 - 2024)
· Certificate of completion of the Intermediary Course at Ohara School of Ikebana - JP & UK (2024)
· Intermediary Course Student at Ohara School of Ikebana - JP & UK (2021 - 2024)
· Social and Therapeutic Horticulture Practice Course at Thrive - UK (2021)
· Certificate of completion of the Beginner Course at Ohara School of Ikebana - JP & UK (2020)
· Training and paper-making certificate obtained at Auroville Papers, India (2018)
· Ikebana studies at Ohara School of Ikebana - England Chapter, UK (2018-Present)
· Fine Arts and Textile Design, Haute école des arts du Rhin, FR (2008-2010)
· Baccalauréat Littéraire mention bien, options Arts Plastiques & Danse Contemporaine, FR (2008)
Fulfilling Experiences & Roles
· Green Arts Oxfordshire Network Advisory Board Member- UK (2023 -Present)
· Ceramic Exploration Invited Artist at Camden Art Centre - London, UK (2022 - 2023)
· Camden Art Centre Learning Programme Invited Lead Artist Academic Year 22/23 - London, UK (2022 - 2023)
· Old Fire Station Programming Committe Member - Oxford, UK (2022 - 2023)
· Cover artist for the publication series Aromatopia - The Journal of Aromatherapy & Natural Medicine - Japan (2021 - 2023)
· Founding and directing The Gardening Drawing Club - UK (2021 - Present)
· Allotment Committee Member - Oxfordshire, UK (2021 - Present)
· Part of the Seed Saving Network by OmVed Gardens - UK (2021 -Present)
· Distance training for Royal Horticultural Society Level 2 at B.E.S.T. in Horticulture - UK (2020 - 2021)
· Co-editor of the publication series Journal du Thé - Contemporary Tea Culture (2018 - Present)
· Co-founding the publication series Journal du Thé - Contemporary Tea Culture with T. S. Wendelstein, UK (2018)
· Management of Archives & International Project Development at Studio Cécile Daladier, FR (2017-2020)
· Founding and managing Poetic Pastel Press (2015 - Present)
· Assisting artist Yoshitomo Nara, UK (2014)
· Founding Poetic Pastel (2014)
· Assisting artist Ming Wong, DE (2013)
· Contributing Editor at African Digital Art (2012-2013)
· Four summers in a biodynamic & organic farm, Ferme St Blaise, Alsace, FR (2005, 2006, 2007, 2020)
With a rich body of often semi-autobiographical work, Johanna Tagada Hoffbeck (b.1990, Strasbourg, FR) wishes to generate positivity, compassion and positive actions, deriving inspiration from her daily life and close observation of nature. Her transdisciplinary practice, composed of painting, drawing, installation, sculpture, film, photography, textiles, gardening, workshop, writing and publishing, often conceals ecological messages rendered in soft and delicate methods. Theories related to Art Therapy, Deep Ecology, Permaculture and the Way of Tea are at the roots of her works. Tagada Hoffbeck is building a coherent and singular practice, often described as comprehensive, poetic, gentle and placing considerate importance on processes, collaboration and care. In several of the artistʼs projects, interaction with the environment and others plays a central role.
In 2014, Johanna Tagada Hoffbeck founded Poetic Pastel - a positive and collaborative cultural project informed by Deep Ecology and defined as an open conversation inspired by natural elements, warm memories, rhythm, colours, feelings, relationships, literature, poetry, tea culture and daily life. Poetic Pastel's collaborative projects result in exhibitions, meetings, culinary experiences, musical recitals, writings, workshops, textiles and publications. Sonic, textile and print editions are released by Poetic Pastel Press, which was founded in 2015. In 2018, Johanna Tagada Hoffbeck co-founded the publication series Journal du Thé ‒ Contemporary Tea Culture in collaboration with T. S. Wendelstein. In 2021, she founded The Gardening Drawing Club, a community project offering adults and children in Britain free access to arts and horticulture.
Until June 2010, she studied at the Fine Arts School Haute École des Arts du Rhin (HEAR - France). Beyond Fine Arts and Textiles, the artist manifests a vivid interest in Architecture, Community-based projects, Social and Therapeutic Horticulture, Literature, Ethics, Tea Culture, Film, Languages & Linguistics, Transnationalism, Ecology, Horticulture, Colonial and Post-Colonial History. Fluent in English, French, and German and raised with the Alsatian dialect, Johanna has an intermediate level of proficiency in Japanese and is currently studying Korean.
Her first book, Daily Practice, was published in 2018 by InOtherWords Imprint.