BIOGRAPHY
Kiré’s artistic journey began with his selection for the juried North Park Gallery exhibition in Victoria upon graduation. Shortly thereafter, a relocation to Hong Kong led to a distinguished 20-year career in art education. During this period, Kiré immersed himself in a wide spectrum of creative disciplines, experimenting with both Chinese and Western calligraphy, design, and installation art, among other forms.In 2010, Kiré returned to Canada, marking a pivotal transition in both life and art. This period of transformation laid the groundwork for his development of L’automatisme Nouvelle—a personal evolution of the automatist tradition. By 2014, his practice had delved deeply into the psychological dimensions of art, using l’automatisme as a foundational discipline. His work began to oscillate between abstraction and representation, and in 2018, he started deciphering figurative forms from the spontaneous, rapid lines of his automatic drawings. Through this process, Kiré allows the subconscious to reveal its messages, resulting in works that are both authentic and psychologically resonant.Complementing this approach, Kiré also began incorporating Asemic writing—adapting brushstrokes inspired by Chinese calligraphy—as a recurring element in his compositions. This integration of gestural, wordless script further enriches the visual language of his work, blurring the boundaries between text and image while deepening the connection to his cross-cultural influences.Now based in Edmonton, Kiré has received significant recognition, including the 150 in 150 Award for Visual Arts in 2017 and an Art Grant from the Canada Council for the Arts in 2022. His participation in the 2023 Art Vancouver Fair further elevated his profile, leading to speaking engagements and podcast features. From 2025 to 2027, his work is featured in the travelling exhibition organized by the Art Gallery of Alberta.Exhibition History (group)
1984 Canadian National Exhibition, Toronto, Canada
1984-88 Fine Arts Festival, University of Victoria, Canada
1988 North Park Gallery, Juried art show, Victoria, Canada
1994 Fringe Bar Gallery, Hong Kong
1994 Somewhere, Visual Arts Centre, Hong Kong
1995 2nd Annual Art Installation, Fringe Club, Hong Kong
1996 Philippe Charriol Foundation 11th Modern Art Exhibition,
Landmark, Times Square, HK
1998 Front Art Exhibition ’98, HK Cultural Centre
2003 Art exhibition of professional teachers, Central Library, HK
2004 Ching Ying creative works Exhibition, City Hall, Hong Kong
2004 404 show, Artland Gallery, Hong Kong
2005 Artucation, Central Library, HK
2008 Art exhibition of professional teachers, Central Library, HK
2010 We are here, Edmonton General Continuing Care Centre, Canada 2011 Art from the unknown, Strathcona Centre for performing arts
2011 Expressionz café, Edmonton, Canada
2012 Parish Church of St. Stephen the Martyr, Edmonton, Canada
2012 Square One exhibition and Fundraising, St. Albert Art Gallery, Canada
2012 Kelaido Festival Exhibition, The Nina Haggerty Gallery, Canada
2017 #BestYEG_Artists exhibition at the Walterdale Playhouse, Edmonton
2017 'Materialize' Art Gallery of St. Albert, Canada2018 Lines of Emotions, Lotus Art Gallery, Edmonton, Canada
2018 Lotus Art Gallery, Edmonton, Canada 2020 After hours exhibition, UAH, Edmonton, Canada 2021 Artist’s Lens Street Photography, Calgary, Canada 2024 Spotlight, Jordan Art Gallery, St. Catharines, Canada 2024 Boundaries, Crowsnest Pass Public Art Gallery, Alberta, Canada organized by ASA 2025 After hours exhibition, UAH, Edmonton, Canada 2025 Convivencia, A.Milner Library, Edmonton, Canada 2025-27 TREX exhibition, Travelling exhibition in Alberta, AGA, Canada2026 Atrium @ 501 Gallery, Sherwood Park, Alberta Canada
1994 Coalesce, Hong Kong Cultural Centre, HK 1994 New Poetry and Painting exhibition, Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre, HK 1995 Several glimpses, Sheung Wan Civic Centre, HK 1996 Invisible Link, Fringe Club Heineken Gallery, HK 2012 A balance between order and Chaos, Walterdale Playhouse, Edmonton, Canada 2012 Verge of Recognition, Naess Gallery, The paint spot, Edmonton 2012 Absolute Subconscious, Mezzanine Gallery, Glenrose Hospital, Edmonton, Canada 2013 Subconscious Art, Milner Library, Edmonton, Canada 2013 Visual Counterpoint, Harris-Warke Gallery, Red Deer, Canada 2013 Featured Artist, Spruce Grove Art Gallery, Spruce Grove, Canada 2018 Lines of Emotions, Lotus Gallery, Edmonton 2019 Ambiance, Lotus Gallery, Edmonton 2019 Kaleido Festival, Nina Haggerty Centre for the Arts 2020 Galaxy of Visions, Lotus Gallery, Edmonton, Canada 2022 L'automatisme as a Springboard, Winspear Centre, Edmonton, Canada sponsored by Canada Council for the Arts 2023 Art Vancouver Fair, Vancouver, Canada 2024 L’automatisme with a Cultural Identity, Calgary Central Library, Calgary, Canada