Jonas Leriche
Biography
Jonas Leriche – Born in Belgium in 1976, Jonas Leriche spent ten years working as a fashion photographer before making the decision to move to New York and focus exclusively on his artistic practice. An early career in fashion enabled Leriche to develop his photography skills but spending day after day in an industry dominated by superficiality and social media posturing, left him with little enthusiasm. The experience did, however, entirely inform his approach to the practice of making art.
Leriche consciously seeks out the juxtaposition between what is artificial and what is authentic, rendering artworks that encourage the viewer to identify this duality. The driving force behind Leriche’s work is his desire to inject raw, natural elements into a flawless, cultivated image in order to challenge those viewers who are unaccustomed to scratching any deeper than the surface.
Leriche’s photographs are explosively emotional and striking in composition – a direct result of the fact that Leriche meticulously “constructs” each, layer by layer by layer. A single photoshoot typically requires a week of 18-hour days, due to the elaborate design and direction, not to mention Leriche’s unparalleled attention to detail.
Leriche’s newest collection of sculptures entitled, “Vanity Skulls,” is evocative of his photography and yet specifically created to explore the transience of life, the futility of pleasure and the certainty of death. Each sculpture seeks to contrast symbols of wealth with symbols of ephemerality and death.
Leriche’s silkscreen print editions are an homage of sorts to his sculptures – a realization of the “Vanity Skull” in a completely different way, utilizing diamond dust, gold and silver leaf, iridescence and a myriad of colors.
Leriche’s artworks have been exhibited at Art Miami, Context, Scope and Art Wynwood. He has had solo exhibitions in New York City, NY and in Antwerp, Belgium.
“What matters to me is the transformation of emotions and intentional or subconscious ideas into gripping images. Each piece tells a story and the stories I create go far beyond the individual or anecdotal. My aim is not merely to create an aesthetically appealing artwork but to create something larger than life.”
– Jonas Leriche –
Marcel Salome about Jonas Leriche
It must have been in 2014 or 2015 when I encountered Jonas’ artwork, “La Renaissance.” The image captivated my mind, yet, at that time, I remained oblivious to the identity of the artist. In 2016, fate brought us together unexpectedly during Art Basel Miami, and since then, we have forged a close working relationship that blossomed into a profound friendship. Jonas is not merely a photographer; he is an authentic artist who constantly pushes his creative boundaries and tirelessly pursues perfection. This shared pursuit of excellence is what binds us so closely. Jonas’s work possesses an enchanting quality with a subtle, mysterious undertone, and you can unmistakably sense his vibrant energy radiating through his art.
Jonas Leriche
Artworks
