Leon Fernandes | Visual Artist

Leon Fernandes is a Sydney-based visual artist working across painting, textiles, and digital composition. His work explores beauty, grief, absurdity, and repair—often grounded in personal narrative, historical imagery, and botanical metaphor. He works in layers, both literal and symbolic, drawing from a mixed Anglo-Australian and Indian heritage.

Before turning his focus fully to art, Leon spent several decades in social justice and health advocacy, working within his own tribes: queer communities, people who use drugs, and mental health survivors. He has also worked extensively in theatre restoration, specialising in historical conservation at Sydney’s State Theatre.

His work has been commissioned by the National Gallery of Victoria, exhibited in both galleries and public spaces, and shown in settings ranging from museums to festivals. His practice is playful, political, and deeply personal.

He is driven primarily by a love of paint—but also by curiosity, irreverence, and the ongoing (often futile) process of making sense of the world.

Solo Exhibitions

2024: Finding Light in Shadows: Vincent's Irises Reimagined. Downing Centre, Sydney.
2023: Pride. ESD Gallery, Sydney.
2022: Curious Odysseys. Downing Centre, Sydney
2022: Major works. ESD Gallery, Sydney
2019: Bunnings: the Embroideries. ESD Gallery, Sydney
2018: Spring Awakening. MLC Gallery, Sydney
2017: Krishna in Erskineville. ESD Gallery, Sydney
2015: Threaded Skulls and Tsunamis. ESD Gallery, Sydney
2015: Paintings and Embroideries. Scratch Art Space, Sydney
2014: The Spring Show. ESD Gallery, Sydney
2009: Paintings. Arthouse Gallery, Sydney
2009: Paintings. Berkelouw Cafe Gallery, Sydney
2008: Paintings. Blankspace, Sydney

Group Exhibitions

2023: Art of Darkness. Lennox St Open Studios, Sydney
2022: Beyond the Bell Curve. Lennox St Open Studios, Sydney:
2021: Locked Down. Lennox St Open Studios, Sydney
2021: Landscapes. Joint exhibition with April White. ESD Gallery, Sydney
2019: Birds and the Bees: Joint exhibition with April White. MLC Gallery, Sydney
2019: Newtopia: 6 local artists. MLC Gallery, Sydney
2018: Hindu Deities. Lennox St Open Studios, Sydney
2017: Primavera. Lennox St Open Studios, Sydney
2017: New works. Cafe Tissardmine. Rissani. Saharan Morocco.
2016: Vignettes from the Heart. Lennox St Open Studios, Sydney
2016: bentART. School of Arts, Wentworth Falls
2015: Grief and Loss. Lennox St Open Studios, Sydney:
2015: Happy Hour: dedicated to Johnny Merkouris. Gaffa Gallery
2015: bentART. School of Arts, Wentworth Falls
2014: Slow Hands. Gaffa Gallery, Sydney
2014: bentART. School of Arts, Wentworth Falls
2009: Buzz. Global Gallery, Sydney

Public Commissions

2023: Progress Shark mural. Museum of Sydney.
2022: The Girl in the Tree. National Gallery of Victoria: Alexander McQueen: Mind, Mythos, Muse

Residencies

2017: Café Tissardmine, Sahara Desert, Morocco (4 weeks)
2016: Brahma Tirta Sari: batik residency, Jogjakarta, Indonesia (2 weeks)

Awards

2021: Finalist: Gosford Art Prize
2021: Highly Commended: BentArt. School of Arts, Wentworth Falls.
2021: Finalist: The Blake Prize, Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre
2016: Winner: Special Category “Celebration” bentART, Wentworth Falls
2014: Winner: Special Category “Celebration” bentART, Wentworth Falls
2008: Winner: Avant Carde Artist Project competition

Publications

Race, K. The Gay Science: Intimate Experiments with the Problem of HIV (2018): “Krishna in Erskineville” (essay)