Leon Kuhn - Artist

May 19 2008 |

My immediate environment is what inspires me. My thoughts, experiences and ideas surrounding this. Here is where I collect most of my materials from. I like to experiment with textures and often apply natural pigments into the art. The materials I use mostly determine the outcome (not the original idea) and the end result is often surprising…

I was born in South Africa, 1971. From an early age I was exposed and involved in photography, art, artists and exhibitions.

In 2001 I moved to Sweden and completed various courses in painting, drawing, graphical printing and pottery at Folks Universitet in Stockholm. In 2004 we moved to Kenya and I started to work with a group of independent Kenyan artists now named Ya Africa. Here I developed my techniques of building up collages from various materials, like sand, soil, textile, hand made paper, rusted metal sheets etc.
In 2005 my family and I moved back to Sweden where I continued working as an artist

Kenya:
2004 I took part in group exhibitions at the National Museum in Nairobi and the RAMOMA art gallery.
In 2005 a solo collection of one year’s work at the Village Market Exhibition Hall and Tazama Gallery. Also “action against landmines” commission for UN.
Group exhibition with Green Art (art that has an environmental theme or uses recycled materials).

Sweden:
Retrospective solo exhibition at KB (Konstnärsbaren) during September and October, 2005.
Art Moderna Gallery, 5th anniversary of gallery, group exhibition with “young and upcoming artists”, April/May 2006.
Galleri Nybroviken: December 2006
Solo exhibition: Ostergök Restaurang: February 2007
Tyresö slot July 2007
KB (konstnärsbaren) June/july 2007-12-08
Solo exhibition Galleri Hagström, Gamla Stan
Solo exhibition at Galleri Sostockholm at Kungsträdgården
Solo exhibition Galleri/studio Alskog, Gotland

International:
Spain Barcelona, at Sala Barna, Grupo Batik Art for the 30th anniversary art fair in October and November 2005.
United Kingdom: travelling exhibition in the United Kingdom with the Ya_Africa artists (various galleries), January-November 2006.
Norway: Transvangarde and eco art exhibition October and November 2006, in Oslo.
Senegal: Dak’art art bienalle, May 2006, installation on “tragic beauty” in Dakar.