Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Leandro Comrie. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Leandro, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.
Like many kids, I used to draw and paint whenever possible. I was constantly drawing something somewhere. I was lucky to have been born into a family that was no stranger to the arts. My mother and my aunt studied art when they were young. My father was also an avid art lover. But I don’t think that was why they supported my decision to become an artist. I know that they supported it because they realized it made me happy. As simple as that. By supporting my decision, they showed me they believed in me and loved me, which gave me confidence that later translated into everything I did with my life.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am a painter. I was born in Brooklyn. I grew up in Caracas, Venezuela. My father was from Panama. I lived a couple of years in Ponce, Puerto Rico, and spent six years living between New York and Cologne, Germany. This is the reason why I explore human experiences in my paintings. I have lived in different cultures with different languages and customs throughout my life. The more I lived outside my comfort zone, the more I realized how similar we all are, regardless of how eager some people are to find something to divide us. The one thing that unites us all is emotions. Emotions are universal. Memory, longing, love, and loss are things we all experience with certain similitude. Certain nuances may differentiate our experiences based on the times and spaces we live in, but the basis of human emotions is present in all of us, regardless of how we choose to express them. My paintings are a metaphorical expression of issues surrounding our social lives. Spirituality, sexuality, race, and culture are all permeated by preconceived ideas learned through tradition or social expectations. I shed light on these views by introducing ambiguous characters, often pensive, reflective, or defiant, to challenge the normative of societal life.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
Creativity is the realm of sensibility, and that has been instrumental to my life. Art has taught me to pay attention to the littlest details, to look for beauty where most people dismiss it, to be confident, and to embrace mistakes and turn them into strengths.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
Many people feel art is for people who know art, or for the elite, for the intellectual, and somehow art becomes this exclusive space for a few “cool people.” I can’t entirely agree with this and always emphasize to people who may feel they do not belong in spaces such as galleries and museums that the artists seldom create for a privileged audience. As an artist, I paint to find a connection to people in general. Art is created to bring sensibility, beauty, awareness, change, or humor into the world. This act is not exclusive; it is inclusive and belongs to all of us. Some of my closest friends in the arts, dance, and music all agree that their best experiences happened in places where “non-creatives” were the audience. A free classical music concert in a public park, a contemporary dance performance with kids, or a mural project in a poor neighborhood have all majorly changed the lives of creative people I know, including myself.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.leandrocomrie.com
- Instagram: leandrocomrie