About Philippe Leblanc

Turnhout, Belgium • 1964

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An artist sensitive to rationality and the purity of forms, Philippe Leblanc finds inspiration in mathematics, in famous series like Fibonacci’s conical shapes and emblematic numbers such as the golden number, Pi, and root of two.

 

His creations of abstract appearance are based on the writing of numbering systems from distant cultures, which confers them a mysterious formal balance.

 

He imagines time machines and calendars according to strict rules which then fade away to retain only their random and enigmatic character.

 

His works include wall sculptures, light boxes, hanging mobiles, motorized carousels or raised puzzles, all sharing the same geometric language.

 

These greatly demanding formal requirements translate into an equally demanding execution, which involves the technical mastery of various materials such as paper, metals, plexiglass…

 

The colors, the minimality of white, the non-materiality of mirrors, cut-outs and translucent pieces, reinforce a play with light as well as a notion of spectrum or series, while evoking the memory of the underlying writing.

 

An architect-engineer by training, Philippe Leblanc is attentive to the interaction of his sometimes monumental creations with their surrounding space, the movement of the observer and the changing qualities of light. Welcoming space, welcomed work and the perception of the spectator-actor then complement each other for an ever-renewed experience.

 

His work exploits and expresses the paradoxes between rigor of concept and material constraint, underlying rules and apparent randomness, mathematical aridity and playful experiences, bringing forward his idea that art must both stimulate and soothe the mind.

 

Philippe Leblanc lives and works in Brussels.