Biography
Jocelyne Le Léannec is a Winnipeg-based artist who works with digital media and glass arts. She studied Multimedia Communications at the Université de Saint-Boniface. She has showcased her short films at various film festivals across Canada (including the Montreal World Film Festival) and internationally in the United States, Germany, and Romania. She is the recipient of several awards and grants, including the Viewers Choice Award at the Cinémental Festival, Best Film and Collaboration awards at F-Wordz, and professional development and project grants from Francofonds, Winnipeg Arts Council, Manitoba Arts Council, and Canada Council for the Arts.
In 2019, Le Léannec began working on a solo exhibition entitled Blackwater Lake. The exhibition, which had its inaugural opening in January 2023, explores the interaction between a traditional medium (art glass) and a digital medium (animation) to depict the contrast between life and death, light and dark. It features a combination of glass wall panels and sculptural glass artworks, some of which are illuminated by animated video projections. This innovative combination of animation, video projection, and glass artwork creates a unique and engaging experience for viewers.
Le Léannec's art practice has evolved over time, as evidenced by her shift from animation to glass for her Blackwater Lake exhibition. Her background in multimedia, animation, and projection mapping and her experience showcasing her video work at film festivals have undoubtedly influenced her innovative use of technology and the interplay between different mediums in her artwork.
Statement
My work intends to attract and repel, pulling the viewer in, while simultaneously provoking feelings of uneasiness and slight discomfort. Inspired by subject matter related to everything macabre, horror movies, 80’s slasher film soundtracks, and dark comedy, I create bizarre paradoxical-themed worlds inhabited by creepy/cute animals, humanoids, and other dark creatures. I am most attracted to dark things that break and twist us.
As a digital media artist, I have a background in animation, video, and interactive projection. However, I recently felt a strong pull towards the more traditional and tactile medium of hand-built foiled art glass. This art form has an everlasting impact, originating in churches and remaining relevant in contemporary design and architecture. I am fascinated by its ability to cast coloured light and texture, which perfectly complements my work in digital media, opening up endless possibilities for incorporating light and moving images into my creations.
Thanks to the support of the Winnipeg Arts Council, Manitoba Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, and Froncofonds, I was able to pursue my most recent project, Blackwater Lake. The support I received allowed me to attend glass workshops while participating in the MAWA mentorship program, activities that were vital in developing and refining my craft practice. These professional development opportunities reflect my unwavering commitment to exploring new artistic mediums and pushing myself creatively.