Alexandra Leyre Mein
°1979, Brussels, Belgium.
Lives and works in Brussels, Belgium.
Alexandra Leyre Mein’s sculptures exude a profound sense of solitude and silence, serving as a poignant reflection on the complexities of human behaviour.
Her hybrid figures, with their immaculate, polished surfaces, stand in striking contrast to raw, fiber-like textures reminiscent of tree trunks. Yet, within this stillness, flashes of movement emerge in contorted shapes that echo the ebb and flow of human emotion. The sculptures seem to defy gravity, delicately balanced on stools or seamlessly merging with chairs. A nuanced color palette, reminiscent of natural minerals, enhances the overall sense of tranquility and serenity in her work, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in moments of quiet contemplation.
The unfinished quality of her works deepens their allure, suggesting both growth and decay—ongoing evolution intertwined with the inevitability of life’s impermanence. This duality lies at the heart of their emotional resonance, mirroring the visceral struggles and tensions inherent in human experience.
Preferring to work directly in plaster without a predetermined vision, Mein allows her subconscious to guide the process. The result is sculpture that feels raw and spontaneous, yet intricately detailed. Her approach to painting reflects a similar sensibility, though here she engages with the concept of time more explicitly. Drawing on centuries-old oil glazing techniques, she builds her surfaces layer by layer, embracing a process that demands patience and care, capturing light in the process. Each layer requires several days to dry, underscoring her conviction that time itself is not only a material element but also an essential presence within the work.
Beyond their aesthetic appeal, Mein’s sculptures provoke a deeper paradox, exploring the intricacies of representation and human connection. Like a dance between revelation and elusion, her works assert dominance while simultaneously seeking connection, embodying the inherent fragility and resilience of life itself.
Selected exhibitions:
Solo exhibitions
2024, Permanent bronze sculpture Diffraction, Botanique, Brussels (BE) – first commission in 130 years
2023, Diffraction, Botanique, Brussels (BE)
2022, Witness, Atelier Jespers, Brussels (BE) – official OFF program ART Brussels
2019, Involucrum, ArchiRAAR Gallery – Black Box, Brussels (BE)
2018, The Edge of Obliquity, White House Gallery, Lovenjoel (BE)
2015, Concrete Mirrors, Gallery Hangar H18, Brussels (BE)
2014, Telomeres and Family, Belgian-Luxembourg Thai Chamber of Commerce, Belgian Embassy, Bangkok (TH)
2013, Pastorie Munte herleeft, Pastorie Munte, Merelbeke (BE)
2011, Alexandra Leyre Mein, Gallery Anarto, Antwerp (BE)
2011, Through the Pale Door, Art Space Leguit, Antwerp (BE)
2008, Alexandra Mein, Snug Harbor – New House Center for Contemporary Art, New York (USA)
2007, Fire – walk with me, Good Friday Gallery, Brussels (BE)
Group exhibitions
2025, Ontomateria, Verduyn Gallery, Moregem (BE)
2025, BRAFA Art Fair – Participation of Nosbaum Reding, Brussels Expo (BE)
2024, SCAENAE, Gallery 10A, Otegem (BE)
2024, Human/Nature (curator Benedicte Vandaele), Oostkamp (BE)
2024, Two Weekends (curator YEAH.Brussels), Brussels (BE)
2023, Cult – Stone – Image – Projection, The Agprognostic Temple (curators Dome Wood & Sam Steverlynck), Brussels (BE)
2022, Flow, Zwolle (NL) – in collaboration with Museum de Fundatie
2022, Spectre (curators Lola Meotti & Grégory Thirion), Botanique, Brussels (BE)
2022, Spreekkamer, Poort 8, Gent (BE)
2021, Wired for Empathy (curator Karen Verschoren), part of Artefact 2021, STUK, Leuven (BE)
2019, Intenerance12 (curators Jean-François Declercq & Pierre Bonfille), Galerie Boulle, Paris (FR)
2019, Collectible – Atelier Jespers at Vanderborght Building, Brussels (BE)
2019, Cerces (curator Jelle Spruyt), 252cc, Kasteel Hof ter Bist, Ekeren (BE)
2019, Omwenteling – Absenceprojects 01, Wilford X, Temse (BE)
2017, Absence – Absenceprojects 00, Planta Baja, Brooklyn (USA)
2017, Purifications – W 186 Artist Projects, Aeroplastics Contemporary, Brussels (BE)
2017, Recollection – Art & Fashion, Belfius Art Collection, Brussels (BE)
2017, The Ferryman (collaboration with Damien Jalet & Gilles Delmas), Palazzo Fortuny, Venice Biennale, Venice (IT)
2016, Precarious Constructs, Venus Knitting Art Space, Brooklyn (USA)
2016, A Room of One’s Own (curator Osman Yerebakan), The Clemente Center, New York (USA)
2016, Light is Dark, Immersive Gallery, Brooklyn (USA)
2016, Locus, The Growlery – in collaboration with One Studio, San Francisco (USA)
2016, Prememories, Aeroplastics Contemporary, Brussels (BE)
2014, Mixology, Numthong Gallery, Bangkok (TH)
2013, Pop-up (curated by Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens), Léon De Smet Museum, Deurle (BE)
2013, Run Rabbit Run (curator Keren Moscovitch), SVA Westside Gallery, New York (USA)
2012, Unlimited-bodies, Palais d’Iléna, Paris (FR)
2012, Sehnsucht, Cultuurcentrum, Dilbeek (BE)
2011, Homework, The Ister – Servais Family, Brussels (BE)
2011, Mercy Mercy Me (curator Tom Viaene), Gynaika Gallery, Brussels (BE)
2011, Wunderkammer, Botanique, Brussels (BE)
2011, We Are Young and Immortal, Gallery Good Friday, Paris (FR)
2011, Féminité 0.1, Maison Particulière, Brussels (BE)
2010, Give Me a Minute, The Shirley, New York (USA)
2009, Gluttony Installation, Plastic – Gesu Church, Brussels (BE)
2008, Friends and Family, Anton Kern Gallery, New York (USA)