GUY LECLEF
(°1962) is a Belgian artist.
Guy Leclef actually studied gemology, he’s a specialist in gems. He also worked as a diamond cutter. Eventually he ended up in the world of paper, the raw material of his artworks. Cut paper, rolled paper, thick layers, thin slices, razor-thin heaps, shredded paper, cardboard, basically in his collages he deploys paper like paint.
Leclef is self- taught and he can be regarded as a paper virtuoso. He works in his studio in Zoersel (Belgium) and gives a second life to various types of paper. His recycled paper can be glossy or brightly coloured, sometimes we can see letters or Japanese characters, and then again faces; sometimes everything just taints black and white.
He creates paper collages or book compositions and sometimes he reuses paper or cardboard in a new object. Acrylic glass makes his works (in)accessible.
His nameless artworks can be found in collections worldwide. They have been exhibited since 2004 in Canada, France, Italy, South-Africa, Spain, The Netherlands, New York …
Guy looks for the essential in his collages. He creates a harmonious whole, also in his colours. Essence, emotions, material and origin are the key factors in his work. He is showing us all kinds of structures and humour is always present. He creates order amidst chaos. Leclef loves simplicity and minimalism, nevertheless his works display a certain relief. There’s a certain rhythm in his artworks, but they’re never monotonous.
