Dear Shaded Viewers,
Last week I paid a visit to the atelier of the French artist, Leandre Renoir.
“My artistic approach is constantly evolving; the crux of it is to propose a certain openness to the diktats of today’s society. Following the undeniable rise of globalisation, there appears to be a mass blindness (as José Saramago admirably wrote in L’Aveuglement). I start from a simple observation: in the street, most people have their eyes fixed on their smartphones, whereas very often it is enough to look up to see a spectacle of great beauty: the sky. So, I am inspired by the sky and the sunlight: essential to life. White, gold and blue are therefore the colours I like to use. Of course, I also use black, silver and grey because the sky is not always very kind, and black in this case evokes a deeper and equally intimate form of spirituality.” said Leandre Renoir
And a biography:
A Parisian at heart, Léandre has shown an unshakeable attraction to the art world since he was a child, which over the years has enabled him to escape from a family that was too scornful and violent towards him. Not fitting in, he did what was necessary to emancipate himself and build the life he wanted on his own. This, by chance, led him to Paris, where he was accepted at the Sorbonne School of Arts on file. Passionate, he started with a Bachelor’s degree and continued with a Master’s degree in contemporary art, which he completed. He posed as a model for several photographers including Erwin Olaf. At the same time, his path towards painting was taking shape; we can cite Pierre Soulages, Hans Hartung and Georges Mathieu as references for his pictorial gesture. Beginning with bright colours in his first paintings, as his practice progressed, there appeared an evolution towards a certain purity which is dear to him. His paintings are full of meaning and striking relief, and he constantly advocates the elevation of the spirit and a quest for wisdom; it is quite simply his catharsis.
He has been exhibited at the Galerie Vivienne and in Saint Germain en Laye and at the moment at Avenue Montaigne with David Cha. His works are present in the homes of collectors throughout the world: USA, Switzerland, France, Canada.
Later,
Diane
