Overview

Laurence Leenaert’s paintings are a distillation of her myriad skills. Designed, painted and woven entirely by her own hand, the works take inspiration from local Moroccan crafting techniques and natural materials. Leenaert eschews the use of digital tools and machine-led interventions, believing in a purely tactile approach to her work. Building up abstract, three dimensional works with acrylic paint, wool yarn and cotton patches on rough burlap canvas, embroidery and weaving are incorporated into her painting practice to create expressive compositions. Her naïve indeterminate line and unruly geometric forms are balanced by an effortlessly refined sense of composition. These minimal marks made on a heavily textured canvas become almost reminiscent of cave paintings, hieroglyphs and runic inscriptions from ancient worlds. 

"I’m constantly looking for harmony in this important space, translating it into textiles, lines, graphics, relief."

 

Her work combines the colours, materials and mirage-esque forms she finds on the edge of the desert in Marrakech, creating harmony out of the contrasting chaos of the city. The palm trees, the pink walls, the light of the sun and the busy architecture of Marrakech can be seen and felt in her paintings. After moving to Morocco in 2015, Leenaert surrounded herself with visual, material and cultural inspiration for her works, drawing from her personal experiences in a new city. Finding freedom in the city’s sense of timelessness, Leenaert admits to working impulsively, destroying more work than she makes. With a fluid method employed across her canvases, aspects from each painting often swapping and changing, her works reflect the spontaneous environment she works in. 

Works
  • 9 Moons
    9 Moons, 2024
    black tea dyed fabric, clay dyed fabric, acrylic, oil stick, handwoven fabrics, pastel
    190cm x 150cm (75" x 59")
  • Abha
    Abha, 2024
    embroidery, oilstick, pastel, black, dyed fabric (black tea) and handwoven fabric
    117cm x 86cm (46" x 34")
  • Cold moon
    Cold moon, 2024
    pomegranate dyed base, black tea dyed cotton part, oil stick, pastel, acrylic, wool embroidery, handwoven cotton fabric
    190cm x 140cm (75" x 55")
  • Cosmic Play
    Cosmic Play, 2024
    terracotta dyeing, oil stick acrylic, pastel and handwoven cotton
    190cm x 140cm (75" x 55")
  • COSMO 1
    COSMO 1, 2024
    oilstick, acrylic, handwoven cotton fabric, handwoven wool fabric, natural fabric dye with black tea and pomegranate
    165cm x 105cm (65" x 41")
  • COSMO 2
    COSMO 2, 2024
    oilstick, acrylic, handwoven cotton fabric, handwoven wool fabric, fabric dye with chamomile and black tea
    180cm x 130cm (71" x 51")
  • COSMO 3
    COSMO 3, 2024
    oilstick, acrylic, handwoven cotton fabric, handwoven wool fabric, fabric dye with pomegranate
    120cm x 100cm (47" x 39")
  • Cubi
    Cubi, 2024
    clay dyed base, acrylic, handwoven cotton fabric part, pastel
    190cm x 140cm (75" x 55")
  • Hermahas
    Hermahas, 2024
    handwoven fabrics, black tea dyed fabric, acrylic, pastel
    190cm x 140cm (74" x 55")
  • Indy
    Indy, 2024
    100% wool
    300cm x 200cm (118" x 79")
  • Voltri
    Voltri, 2024
    handwoven terracotta cotton base, pastel oil stick, clay dyed cotton parts, acrylic
    200cm x 140cm (79" x 55")
  • Phenix 1
    Phenix 1, 2023
    mixed media on paper
    48cm x 36cm (19" x 14")
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Exhibitions
Studio shots
Publications
Video
Exhibition | QALB DARI | Laurence Leenaert
Biography

Laurence Leenaert studied Fashion Design at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Ghent, Belgium. After completing an internship with Bless in Berlin, she launched her own design studio, LRNCE.  Her designs quickly became sought after in high-end outlets such as The Conran Shop and the Picasso Museum. Moving to Morocco in 2015 allowed Leenaert to further develop her practice and Cadogan Gallery is delighted to be showing her unique paintings in London. 

 

Selected exhibitions

2023

 

Summer Exhibition, Cadogan Gallery, London, UK.

2022

 

'Argile et Rêves', Cadogan Gallery, London, UK.

2021

 

‘Izdihar’, St Vincents, Antwerp, Belgium.

 

 

‘Qalb Dari’, Cadogan Gallery, London, UK.

2020

 

'Invisible Subjects', Group Show: Cadogan Gallery, London, UK.

Press