Dante Leonelli, or “Dant” as he prefers to be called, has been a pioneer in kinetic light sculpture since his days at the prestigious Royal College of Art. While there, in 1968 he formed the Continuum group with artists Michael McKinnon and Robert Janz. Their widespread exhibition tour saw the three artist’s work shown throughout the UK by The Arts Council of Great Britain, culminating in the first exhibition of kinetic light art to be shown at the Hayward Gallery. Four of these are still on show at Kinetica. More recently Leonelli has created “Eco Halos,” which monitor and reflect changing levels of environmental traffic and air pollution. Initially considered impossible proposals they have in fact since been realised, reaffirming his position as a cutting-edge thinker above many of his younger peers. Charismatic, witty and undeniably talented, Dante Leonelli is a wise man at 79-years-young. Here he discusses love, friends and mottos.
Text by Lucia Davies
Poppy de Villeneuve is a photographer and film director. She shoots regularly for the New York Times, The Telegraph, and Vogue. Her most recent film project involved five short films set in Central Park for the New York Times. In 2010, several of her works were exhibited at Colette in Paris.
