Jean Paul Leon facts for kids
Jean Paul Leon (born 1955) is a French and Spanish artist and sculptor. He is also a writer. He is best known for his project called Unison. This project brings together four art collections about the three main Mediterranean religions and Buddhism - Daoism. It encourages understanding and talking among all people.
His book Heritage was the first in a series of three. It was introduced by French Minister Jack Lang. The Louvre Museum curator, Lizzie Boubli, also suggested it. Later, he published Hebras hebraicas, a book of short stories and paintings of the Menorah. This book was launched at the Museo Centro Sefarad-Israel in Madrid.
In 2020, Editorial Planeta published his book Mujeres en la Cruz (Women on the Cross). His collection of paintings with the same name was shown at Fundación Antonio Berni. These paintings inspired workshops and a digital museum called Art4WomensRights.com. This project was supported by ICOM (International Council of Museums, Nigeria). It aimed to raise awareness through art about issues affecting women today.
His most recent book, La palabra desnuda (The Naked Word), was presented in November 2023. Another book, Año bisiesto (Leap Year), which contains short sayings, was also presented.
Jean Paul Leon Yodh's large mural, Da Vinci's Dream or the Nightmare of the 4 Judges, is 4 meters long. It was put up in the main hallway of the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona in February 2024. This was exactly two years after his wife donated a kidney to him. The event was shown live on TV3.
Early Life and Inspirations
Jean Paul Leon grew up in France and Spain. He studied classic subjects like Greek and Latin in England. When he was seven and a half, Leon met Pablo Ruíz Picasso. Picasso was a friend of his grandfather. Meeting Picasso and visiting his art studio had a big and lasting effect on Leon's life.
At age 11, Leon won a writing contest across the country. It was sponsored by Coca-Cola.
Becoming a Writer
By the time he was 16, Jean Paul Leon had his first article published. It was for the newspaper El Norte de Castilla. This happened with the help of the famous writer Miguel Delibes. Years later, Leon became a regular writer for that newspaper. At 19, he started writing freely for Triunfo magazine. He published in-depth interviews with English folk singers like John Martyn, Sandy Denny, and Nick Drake. His short story, The Last Judgement, was published in 2015. The money from it went to help Doctors Without Borders.
When he was 18, he started having his own art shows. These were organized by Chantal Hinaut through the Alliance Française.
Jean Paul Leon spent 12 years writing in Hollywood. Now, he has returned to writing and publishing in Spanish. He has released four books in the last four years.
A professor and literary critic, Concha D'Olhaberriague, described Jean Paul Leon Yodh as a modern writer. She said he uses words well and has a fun, flowing style. She also noted his Jewish humor, which includes satire and wit.
Exploring Art and Cultures
When he was 23, Jean Paul Leon got married and moved to New York City. At his very first art show there, he was named the 'most promising young artist'. This was at New York's Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit.
At 24, he had his first solo art show on Madison Avenue, New York City. It was at Barbara Walter's Gallery. He kept showing his art until the 1990s. Then, he moved to Hollywood to work in movies and animation. In 2003, after 12 years in Los Angeles, he went back to Paris. There, he started showing his art again. He also kept working on a topic he loved: Light and important figures who contributed to world culture.
In 2006, Jean Paul Leon's work from 30 years was put together in an art book called Héritage. This work focused on the Menorah as a symbol of light. French Minister of Culture Jack Lang wrote the introduction. The Louvre Museum curator, Lizzie Boubli, also recommended it. The book Heritage included the artist's paintings and writings in three languages. It was published by MinEdition France. The Culture Mission of La Fondation pour la Mémoire de la Shoah, Paris, helped fund it. This foundation was led by French Minister Simone Veil, who survived the Bergen-Belsen and was the first woman President of the European Parliament. Richard Covington, a writer for the Smithsonian and New York Times, described the art. He said it had a bright energy that always showed new things.
In 2005-2006, the Heritage Collection was shown at the Cathedral of Brussels. The Jewish Museum of Belgium presented it. It was called “Menorah in the Cathedral”. Cardinal Godfried Danneels invited the exhibit. It explored the pain and disagreements between the Christian and Jewish communities. The exhibit led to a special meeting between the two groups. The then Archbishop of Brussels, Jozef De Kesel, opened the exhibit. He apologized for past wrongs against Jewish people in Brussels. This event was an important step in creating the artist's larger Unison Collection.
During this time, Jean Paul Leon started a new collection called I.N.R.I.. These were 33 oil paintings on wood panels over large crosses. They showed different ways Jesus Christ has been seen over 2000 years. The writer Philip Pullman said these pictures were a strong effort to understand the most mysterious person who ever lived.
In 2007, Jean Paul Leon moved his studio to Dublin. He was invited to be an artist at the Cill Rialaig Arts Centre. There, he created Ulysses, Fate and Destiny. This art collection showed the 18 chapters of James Joyce's book Ulysses (novel). It looked at Leopold Bloom as a symbol of the traveling Jewish person. It also explored Homer's Odysseus as a hero facing danger on his journey home to Ithaca.
After finishing Ulysses, Fate & Destiny in Dublin, Jean Paul Leon moved to Berlin. He focused on a collection he had started in 1978. It was called Reflections of Islam. He began it during his honeymoon in the Sahara Desert when he received a copy of the Qur'an. He worked on it again in 1991 during the invasion of Kuwait. Most of the work was created in the Sonoran Desert, Arizona. It used 3D objects and mirrors that included the viewer in the art. This collection was based on reading the Qur'an, thinking deeply, and the beauty of the desert. It also showed his love for calligraphy and the magic of La Alhambra.
These three collections—Hebrew Heritage, I.N.R.I., and Reflections of Islam—along with Oriental Meditations, make up The Unison Collection.
The Unison Collection shows Jean Paul Leon Yodh's dedication. He believes that when someone explores the three main religions, they hope to hear God's voice. But they often find themselves in the world of people instead. A leading art expert from Paris, Maître Pierre Cornette de St-Cyr, said that the light in Jean Paul Leon's art helps us gain understanding.
See also
In Spanish: Jean Paul Leon para niños
