(Born in Moscow, Russia.) The opportunity of being able to shift from a broad range of disciplines, project stages and multicultural contexts has defined, since the first moment, my personal interests in life as well as my collaborative and individual work. I have a keen interest on new aesthetic languages and the challenge that represent their respective technical implementations.
After completing my architecture studies in Santo Domingo, I moved to Barcelona where I obtained a Doctorate Degree of Advanced Studies in Project Critical Analysis and a Master Degree in Architectural Design. In 2006, my Architecture Degree dissertation – A Proposal to Inhabit – was prized at the International Biennale of Architecture of Santo Domingo.
In 2008 I moved to Paris where I lived for 8 years. During this period in Paris I was able, on one hand, to become an integral part of the AUA PAUL CHEMETOV, one of the most accomplished French architecture agencies, and, on the other hand, to be selected as an artist-in-residence at the CITÉ INTERNATIONALE DES ARTS. The work accomplished during this 9 month-long artists residency had a special focus on the current state of contemporary immigrants in today’s globalized world. My work as a visual artist has been shown in biennales and exhibitions in France, Germany, Senegal, Lithuania and Dominican Republic.
As a freelance architect designer I have been brought to work with a series of renowned artists and private investors, developing an interesting array of large scale projects and studies. In 2016 I was appointed teacher of Theory of Art and Architecture at the Universidad Nacional Pedro Henríquez Ureña. That same year I designed and developed my own collection of urban bags, the Lar Bags Project, with one of its focal points being to be able to work in direct collaboration with artisans from the Dominican Republic as a way of bringing to a global scope the quality of its local craftwork. I have lectured on multiple occasions on art, architecture, design and urbanism. From 2017 – 2020 I lived Berlin where I collaborated extensively, as an artist/designer, with renowned visual artist Michael Sailstorfer, developing various exhibitions in Copenhague, New York, Berlin, Paris, London, Tokyo and Mexico City. I currently live and work in the Dominican Republic. /
YURI LEONARDO 