Leonie Rhodes is an acquired and award-winning multidisciplinary artist from London, working in Brisbane (Meanjin) and Melbourne (Narm) on unceded Jagera, Turrbal, Wurundjeri, Woi Wurrung and Bunurong Boon Wurrung land. Leonie studied sculpture at Chelsea School of Art London, and figurative sculpture at the New York Studio School, NY.
Influenced by the aesthetics of urban and digital counter-cultures, metropolitan space and the figurative history of art, Leonie is interested in modes of practice that engage the wider public in the outdoors and online. This socially engaged and skills-based practice is driven by the forging of relationships, community, and the work’s potential to provoke emotion and psychological insights which reinforce connections within and between people and their environment.
Narrative and affect itself sit at the intersection of diverse modes of practice including abstract and figurative sculpture, DJing, digital art, mentoring, events, and large participatory installations.
By using traditional hand-sculpting techniques, Leonie models a sense of life into clay, wax, and bronze. Working representationally, subtle abstractions take influence from the personality of each subject or the unique surroundings of the installation. Issues of identity, marginalisation and mental health in civic space are explored through relatable stories with thought provoking theoretical content, told via subjects close to the artist, on accessible public platforms.
Images by Meg Keene.