Bio
Rainer Leimeroth, born in 1970 in Stuttgart, Germany, is a contemporary artist residing and working in Engelswilen, Switzerland. He has spent much of his life living abroad, including over two decades in sub-Saharan Africa, where he grew up, began his artistic journey, and much later - following an initial education in the natural sciences - also received artistic training in filmmaking and screenwriting.
As an adult third culture kid (TCK), his mixed cultural heritage has continually fuelled and permeated his artistic search and creative process in the form of narrative enquiry.
He is in love with the wild places and gives nature stage in his art while exploring the contrasts and contradictions in life. With oil paintings, woodwork and prints that reflect his very own style, he seeks to unravel the dilemma of beauty and the pain that inevitably comes with it.
Being a figurative artist, Leimeroth holds an affection for realism, flavoured with speculative fiction and surreal elements.
CV
Born in Stuttgart, Germany, 1970.
Resides and works in Engelswilen, Switzerland
Education
2006 - 2009 Diploma, Film & Television, City Varsity School of Media and Creative Arts, Cape Town, South Africa
1998 - 2001 PhD, Natural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Switzerland
1992 - 1997 Diploma, Molecular Biology, University of Zürich, Switzerland
Selected exhibitions
2024 The fisherboy, the girl, the monkey and the soldier (solo exhibition), Lichthaus, Watamu, Kenya
2022 Of dreams, memories and other unlikely stories (solo exhibition), Villa Sunneschy, Stäfa, Switzerland
2021 Home… but not home (solo exhibtion), Camel House, Malindi, Kenya
2020 Afterglow (solo exhibition), Ndoro Sculpture Garden, Malindi, Kenya
2018 Between the worlds (solo exhibition), Mandharini, Kilifi, Kenya
2017 At the souk (group exhibition), Polka Dot Art Gallery, Karen, Nairobi, Kenya
2016 Kenya art fair (group exhibition), Fundii Centre for the Arts, Nairobi, Kenya
2014 Art now now - reload (solo exhibition), Open House Art Studio event, Jestetten, Germany
Selected collections
Rainer Leimeroth is collected by various private collectors in Switzerland, South Africa, France, Germany, Kenya and Italy.
Residencies
2024 Temple Point Resort, Watamu, Kenya
Professional contributions
2021 Member of an international committee for the development of a BA/Diploma programme in Art, Design and Culture at Pwani University, Kilifi, Kenya
2007 Drawing Teacher, Animation Department, City Varsity School of Media and Creative Arts, Cape Town, South Africa