Leon Radegonde, born in 1950, lives and works in Victoria, Seychelles

Solo Exhibitions

2006 “Salanm Sorti Ladig”, Afronova, South Africa

2006 “Travay trouve”, Victoria, Seychelles

2004 “Ré-union”, Alliance Française, Victoria, Seychelles

2003 “San Tit”, Alliance Française, Victoria, Seychelles

1996 “Desen Portre”, National Art Gallery, Victoria, Seychelles

1988 “Drawings and Collages”, Carnegie, Victoria, Seychelles

Group Exhibitions

2005 Carrefour des créateurs, Saint-Denis, Réunion Island

1994 4th Biennale of Seychelles, Victoria, Seychelles

1992 3rd Biennale of Seychelles, Victoria, Seychelles

1991 “Creole Impressions”, Plantation Club, Seychelles

1991 7th Triennale- India, New Delhi, India

1990 2nd Biennale of Seychelles, Victoria, Seychelles

1988 1st Biennale of Seychelles, Victoria, Seychelles

“Exposition régionale”, Musée Léon-Dierx, Saint-Denis, Réunion Island

1986 2nd Biennale of Havana, Wifredo Lam Centre, Cuba “Seychelles Week in Greece”, Athens, Greece “The Seychelles and its painters,” Altana Gallery, Hamburg, Germany

1978 Grand-Palais, Paris, France

Images of Attrition*

Leon Radegonde’s recent work demonstrates an expansion of ideas, techniques and motifs previously explored through his earlier assemblages, collages and paintings. There are, however, some significant fresh departures, notably series of sculptures ; some designed to free-stand and some hanging works. The starting point for all Radegonde’s sculpture is the found object, just as you could say that the inspiration for his flat work has consistently been the ’found paper’, unloved, distressed and discarded.

The majority of hanging sculpture invites us to find ourselves depicted through the most universally recognised of all images -the human face. The eyes stare back at us from (mostly wooden) assemblages. An old shutter serves as a slanting profile, rust-peppered nails become eyes, a recycled bracket the bridge of a nose. Radegonde’s skill lies in the understatement, the identification and juxtaposition of simple fragments to create uncompromising visual poetry. As with all work using the ’objet trouvé’ these sculptures reveal the great beauty and intriguing histories of the objects’ former functions.

Faces also dominate the two dimensional work with the artist combining photographic images of ’unknowns’ with the battered, lettered and ripped collage that has formed the spine of his work for so many years. The faces, photographed by the artist are, at times, no more than a smudge, a suggestion, like someone glimpsed or half remembered. In other words the features are defined yet spectral, as if the image has been absorbed by the shredded paper. Individually these works are inspiring, together they are stupendous.

A further series of works on paper bears testimony to Radegonde’s powers as an alchemist, as he appears to turn paper into leather, hide or parchment. In fact the materials he uses are simply cardboard and paper. Through complex processes involving soaking in adhesive, over-painting and the systematic application and removal of many layers of paper, the artist creates sombre landscapes of depth ; the groundings are stained, exhausted, drained and squeezed of their most primary colours. Against these backgrounds we can discern human features, and yet again when confronted by some smaller works on stiffened corrugated card.

This body of work sees Radegonde continuing his exploration of form and texture. It constitutes a tremendous range in terms of style and media, and shows yet again the artist’s great empathy, love and respect for his materials.

Martin Kennedy
Teacher, writer and former Chair of the London Association for Art and Design Education

*edited version