LEILA ROSE FANNER

Leila is a painter and illustrator. Born to a South African artist and an African American musician, she was raised in South Africa and currently works from her studio in Cape Town.

After graduating from The JHB National School of the Arts Johannesburg, Leila trained in graphic design and water-colour painting, holding her first exhibition in 1993 at the age of 23. Her current medium is oil and oil pastel on wood and canvas. She regularly exhibits in annual group exhibitions locally and internationally. She most recently participated in international contemporary art fairs such as 1-54 in New York and London and AKAA, Also Known As Africa in Paris. 

She has held 4 solo shows to date and has been a headline artist for four years taking part in Solo Studio's, an annual fine art event in Riebeek Kasteel. Leila received a Highly Commended award in the UK Rise Art competition 2018, juried by a panel including Gavin Turk, Fiona Banner and David Bailey.

Leila Fanner's paintings have appeared in Harlem Fine Arts Magazine, Vogue Gallery and SA Art Times, among others. 

Her works are both figurative and non-figurative, distinguished by her use of dark or silhouetted figures, prolific patterning, bold colour and South African florals. Through her art, Leila unfolds a story about the soul's journey within the material world, often referencing African flora and fauna, fabric patterns and folklore.

Her process is intuitive and having been raised in a family of women, displays a distinctly feminine perspective. Leila's work-flow in her approach to creativity and self-expression remains free of scholastic rules.

Raised within the artistic atmosphere of a creative family, spanning two continents, Leila's education into the visual arts and influences came via her exposure to many philosophical discussions about art, design and music as she grew up as well as the guidance of creative mentors during her formative years. Her application, choice of mediums and skill developed as a result of a continuous quest for experiential learning.

Her first solo exhibition in Cape Town, 'Superwomen', was held at the Kunsthouse Gallery in Kloof Street, Cape Town, in 2008.

Leila Fanner's art is held in public and private collections in South Africa, the USA, the UK, France, Belgium, Australia, Kenya, Sweden, Norway and Germany.