Léo Chesneau

Which 3 words best describe how you would like your art to be perceived?

PLAYFUL / COHERENT/ LUMINOUS

What creative challenge have you faced and overcome that has transformed your practice?

I’ve always been attracted to the printing technique, however I found it more exciting to build my own process of making an image. So I put my passion for silkscreen, engraving& lithography aside to focus on developing a new method.

What tools do you use as part of the preliminary process?

My daily practice includes collage and folding with different mediums and documents such as drawings, photocopies, & advertising leaflets. This process has me repeating some fundamental gestures that I further develop on a larger scale.

How do you usually start an art session - any habits or rituals?

I listen to a lot of podcasts about philosophy, sociology and science . This broadens my
perspective & opens my mind so as not to limit myself to art influence only.

Do you specifically schedule time for your art practice?

I try to be as disciplined as possible frequenting my studio, but my process also extends to
dialogues with friends, visiting museums or simply walking in the street - so I allow space for this too.

Where do you draw your color inspiration from?

I draw my color influences from different sources - office supplies, sportswear & food packaging . Photoshop is also a good playground for studying color contrast & transparency.

What do you like and dislike about your work?

My work is very mechanical. I’m often doing the same gestures over and over. Although this idea of repetitive labour, and the social dimension of this aspect of the work interests me greatly, it can as well be challenging.

What brilliant piece of advice were you given on your creative journey and would be happy to share?

‘Be simple’ is some advice from my teacher Bernard Piffaretti that has stuck with me.