Nikki de León is a cologne based German-American artist with an architectural background.
In her works she expresses influences from both worlds and combines art, craft and construction.In terms of content, her works deal with human biography, which is characterized by light and shadow - translated into her own geometric language: a memory architecture of emotion, abstraction, surface, form and color. Her works are inspired by the geometric formal vocabulary of Constructivism, the flatness of Hard Edge, and the rectilinear architecture of Midcentury Modern. Process and approach are also influenced by architecture, especially in the choice of materials: initial sketches are made on tracing paper in multiple layers. In this early phase she works with ink, calligraphy pen and chalk, later with acrylic on canvas, freehand only.
Text: Geraldine Schroeder
CV |
EDUCATION
2018 M.A., Exhibition Design + Functional Art, Campus Art & Design Trier (D)
2017 B.A., Construction in existing context, Campus Art & Design Trier (D)
2013 Interior Design Studies, Campus Art & Design Trier (D)
2009 Architecture Studies, Campus Art & Design Trier (D)
2009 Architecture Studies, Campus Art & Design Trier (D)
SOLO
2023 Happy Places, Feld Studio, Cologne (D)
2022 Blackmarket – Cash Only, León Studio, Cologne (D)
2021 Selected Works, x N°59, Cologne (D)
2020 Faux Naïf, Martin Glanz, Cologne (D)
2022 Blackmarket – Cash Only, León Studio, Cologne (D)
2021 Selected Works, x N°59, Cologne (D)
2020 Faux Naïf, Martin Glanz, Cologne (D)
2019 New Post:Offline, Rosebud, Cologne (D)
Upcoming:
Sojourn, Los Angeles (US), tba GROUP
2023 Tracingpaper+Poems, Group show, w/ Nice Dry, Kultur & Gut, Hamburg(D)
2021 Platz des Zusammensitzens, Group show, w/ Cameo Kol, Hannover (D)
2020 Streetchairs, w/ El Warcha Collective Tunis, MAKK Cologne/Tunis (D/TUN)
2020 Streetchairs, w/ El Warcha Collective Tunis, MAKK Cologne/Tunis (D/TUN)
2019 X99-hibition, w/ Dimensioniii Kollektiv, Marmeladenfabrik, 2019 Cologne (D)
TEACHING
2022 Lectureship Computer generated abstracts, Folkwang University of the Arts, Essen (D)
2018–2020 Workshop on building art, Helios – Inclusive University School of Cologne (D)
2018–2020 Workshop on building art, Helios – Inclusive University School of Cologne (D)
AWARDS | HONORS
2018 GDA Newcomer Nominee 2019, issued by Rat für Formgebung Frankfurt (D)
2017 Honored by BDIA for outstanding exposition, Campus Art & Design Trier (D)