Jorge Leiva

Jorge has 20+ years active arts practice working across painting, sculpture, music, multi-art environments and the development of artistic experiences. He is recognised amongst the Melbourne diverse arts community for bringing diverse audiences together, actively engaging artists and creative experiences in schools, as artistic director of award winning community projects peopleartpeople and EL TARRO, and as a visual artists and musician. Jorge has been named by SBS as a forerunner of the Latin art scene in Melbourne, integrating the community through art and often as a spokesperson on SBS radio. 

As a visual artist, Jorge Leiva has specialised in painting with impressionist and expressionist influences. Jorge has also explored the fields of sculpture, print-making, drawing, ceramics and performance art. He has exhibited in galleries in Australia, Colombia and USA.

Jorge’s visual artwork is informed by the changing contexts that he encounters as a human being, a father, a teacher and an artist. It presents social commentary through expressionist and impressionist mixed media portraits and landscapes. This critically engaged practice has been influenced by his personal history, growing up in Colombia, a country suffering an armed conflict, migrating to and settling in Australia in 2007, and more recently, by environmental issues and the impact of the pandemic in society, the environment and physical and mental health.

Jorge’s work has been acknowledged by awards such as Youth for Peace Award, Psychologists for Peace Interest Group of the Australian Psychological Society (2020); Leading Art Project across the Southern Hemisphere, South project Inc (2011); First Price Art Competition Plaza & Janes Ed. (1998). 

 As peopleartpeople co-artistic director, since 2008, Jorge has been actively involved in Melbourne’s contemporary art landscape, curating and showcasing contemporary art made by Latin- Australian artists, producing more than 40 events, developing partnerships with key arts organisations (Malthouse Theatre, Multicultural Arts Victoria, Melbourne Fringe Festival, Reservoir Stomp), and engaging with over 300 artists. Also, coordinating varied exhibitions, including 2022 Leaders Exhibition and 2011 Heartlands Refugee Art Price by Multicultural Arts Victoria.

As an art teacher for 20 years Jorge produces art pieces on a daily basis, as a way to illustrate and demonstrate art processes and techniques to students. Furthermore he constantly researches art practices, theories and history for educational activities and purposes.

ART AWARDS

• Sustaining Creative Workers Initiative, Regional Arts Victoria (2022)

• Positive Start Program, Regional Arts Victoria (2022)

• Creative Workers in Schools Grant, Regional Arts Victoria (2021)

• Youth for Peace Award, Psychologists for Peace Interest Group of the Australian Psychological Society (2020)

• Leading Art Project across the Southern Hemisphere, 2011, SOUTH PROJECT INC.

• First Price Art Competition Plaza & Janes Ed. 1984

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

• Creating Liminal Spaces, The University of Melbourne, Australia, 2016

• Spectrum at Synergy Gallery, Melbourne, Australia, 2011

• Portraits at Synergy Gallery, Melbourne, Australia, 2011

• IV Biennial de Suba, Centro Comercial Bulevar Niza, Bogota, Colombia, 2003

• Art Exhibition “One” Buena Vista Gallery. Bogota, Colombia, 2002

• Art Auction, Local Artists, Suba-Centre, Colombia, 2001

• Art Exhibition “Igualmente Diferentes”, Centro Cultural Santa Cruz, Bogota, Colombia, 2001

• III Art Biennial of Suba, Francisco Jose de Caldas Library, Colombia, 2001

• Collective Exhibition “Officious Art”, Culture House, Cota, Colombia, 2000

• Individual Exhibition “JL”, Bohorquez Art Gallery, La Playa, Sesquilé, Colombia, 2000

• Collective Contest for Mural Painting; Universidad Nacional Art Museum, Colombia, 1999

• Environment “Roots”. Basements of the National Universities library, Colombia, 1998