We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Leonel Matheu a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Leonel, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
The most meaningful project that I had worked on is a public art. It consist on the interior design of Jackson South Community Hospital in Miami, Florida, as I was able to use my work to provide an environmental design that would allow the patient, the staff and visitors of the hospital an environment of vitality and harmony. This whole project that its name is “Vitality” was based on the Florida Everglades, which is an important environment for its natural conservation. Part of the flora and fauna of the Florida Everglades was used as a graphic for decoration. The colors of each floor of the project were chosen based on symbols that served as a pattern to create a wayfinding system in the hospital. The first floor is green and is represented by the wild glass of Florida Everglades, the second floor is blue and represents the ripple water, the third is yellow and its symbol is the water lilly, flower that inhabits the Everglades.The hospital corridors and patient rooms are decorated with a series of serigraphies based on the nature and colors The Everglades.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I was born in Havana, Cuba and studies painting and industrial design. This combination allowed me to make a artwork that I have promoted in exhibitions, through the years, in galleries, art fairs, museums and has also allowed me to do public work such as interior design, public sculpture and architectural installations, among others. Over the years, I have developed a language that allows me to express different stories with the purpose of creating, in the viewer, a group of emotions through the narrated story.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist or creative is that you can achieve a unique sensibility that allows you to live inspired, that it is one of the most beautiful creative energy
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
In my view, society should retake the education and culture as an important theme and top priority, at the same time, to involve young people to visit art museums and galleries. With time, all of this educates and develops in them sensibility for the visual arts.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leonel_matheu/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/leonelmatheu/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonel-matheu-91197639
- Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qSOZED8zl4g
- Other: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwwejSluZtpD1KtZ7_VDhDOododDIZez2
Image Credits
Paloma Matheu