PARIS.- Funny yet touching, unpredictable yet brilliant, Beat Takeshi Kitano is a multifaceted and prolific artist that has captivated the Japanese public. Comedian and host of nine TV shows ranging from the highly comical to the very serious, he is one of the most popular entertainers in his own country. Abroad, Takeshi Kitano is a widely acclaimed author and actor, and has directed 'Sonatine' (1993), 'Hana-Bi' (1997, awarded the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival) and 'Zatôichi' (2003), among other masterpieces of contemporary film. His compelling work gives beautiful form to the expressions of violence, solitude and childlike playfulness. He also has a love of painting, his first and most private passion. For him, painting is the ideal form of representation and it plays an important role in the creative process of his filmmaking.

General Director of the Fondation Cartier, Hervé Chandès has had a long-standing fascination for the work and personality of Kitano, giving him the idea to invite the artist to create an exhibition with free reign to transform the gallery spaces of the Fondation Cartier. His recent discovery of the artist’s paintings and scenario "Achilles and the Tortoise" —the story of a child who dreams of becoming a painter—, provoked their first meeting and marked the beginning of their conversations.

Beat Takeshi Kitano got caught up with their collaboration and imagined an extraordinary project. He is currently creating "Gosse de peintre", a site-specific exhibition for the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain that presents an unexpected and captivating world in which the magical memories of his childhood take center stage. With subtlety and an impertinent humor, that moves from black to zany, Kitano leads the visitor through surprises, gags, and games, all the while mocking contemporary art, experimenting with the sciences, and toying with the clichés associated with his country. Presenting paintings and video films, as well as astonishing objects and settings, whimsical and fantastic machines, Beat Takeshi Kitano invites the visitor to think, play, dream and join the show.

This very first "Beat Takeshi Kitano Exhibition" is undeniably one of the most unexpected and ambitious shows ever created for the Fondation Cartier. After its presentation in Paris, "Gosse de peintre" will be shown at other venues around the world.