Sheek Portraits Frédérique KRAGBÉ Leininger
Merging art, media, and cultural engagement into powerful narratives
Written by Sheek
In a world where creativity and consciousness often live in separate spaces, Frédérique Kragbé Leininger stands at the intersection — gracefully merging art, media, and cultural engagement into a living, breathing form of storytelling. A multidisciplinary artist, media curator, and visionary leader, Frédérique moves through the worlds of art, media, and ecological engagement with the grace of someone who has lived deeply—and transformed profoundly.
As the CEO and Editor-in-Chief of ELLE Côte d’Ivoire, she is redefining what it means to lead with purpose and creativity in African media. At the same time, through her project Les Murmures GANiques, she explores the poetic meeting point between artificial intelligence, storytelling, and ecology — using technology not as a tool of separation, but of healing and connection.
Her journey is a living testament to the resilience of women who turn their stories into movement, their pain into purpose, and their art into change.
The Art of Healing Through Creation
When asked what inspired her to unite art, media, and cultural activism, Frédérique speaks with both vulnerability and power.
“I’ve always felt that art, media, and cultural engagement were not separate worlds but threads of the same fabric,” she shares. “Surviving cancer, a heart attack, and burnout taught me that beauty, expression, and meaning can save a life. Art became my breath, media my echo, and engagement my root. By weaving them together, I transform my scars into a universal language.”
This philosophy led her to reshape ELLE Côte d’Ivoire into more than a magazine — it became a platform for reflection, representation, and renewal. Out of that same spirit emerged Les Murmures GANiques, a “living and poetic media” blending artificial intelligence, ecology, and storytelling. It’s an innovative space where creativity becomes a tool for healing, and where technology meets tenderness.
“My intention isn’t to create for aesthetics alone,” she says. “It’s to offer a space where creativity becomes a lever for transformation — where peace reveals itself as an essential value.”
Storytelling as Transformation
For Frédérique, storytelling is not simply about narration — it’s about metamorphosis.
“My storytelling is an art of transformation,” she explains. “With ELLE Côte d’Ivoire, I reveal African women’s voices. With Les Murmures GANiques, I create a poetic and technological narrative that heals. And through Think Tank Nanan, I turn these stories into ecological and social action.”
Her work sits beautifully at the crossroads of innovation and humanity. It celebrates women’s voices not as a trend, but as an essential force for global cultural progress.
Bridging Worlds, Building Futures
When reflecting on her recent inspirations, Frédérique lights up at the mention of connection and growth.
“What’s inspired me most recently is creating real bridges through ELLE Côte d’Ivoire, a media platform I’m soon evolving into a new, pan-African dimension,” she reveals.
At the same time, she’s stepping into a new chapter of her own — becoming a PhD candidate in artificial intelligence through her project Les Murmures GANiques.
“For me, this represents the full realization of my vision — where art, technology, and commitment meet,” she says.
It’s a moment that feels both intimate and monumental — the culmination of years of resilience and reinvention.
A Sheek Mindset
When asked to share a thought that captures her essence and aligns with Sheek’s spirit of elegance, vision, and impact, Frédérique offers a reflection that feels like a mantra for modern women everywhere:
“True elegance,” she says, “is embodying your vision with dignity and transforming your scars into light.”
It’s a sentiment that resonates deeply with Sheek’s mission — to spotlight women who redefine strength not by perfection, but by presence.
In Her Light
Frédérique Kragbé Leininger’s journey is an invitation — to slow down, to reconnect, and to remember that creativity and care can coexist. She reminds us that success is not just about creation, but about the courage to turn pain into poetry and purpose into movement.
Through her platforms, she is not only curating stories — she’s cultivating consciousness. And in doing so, she shows that elegance, indeed, begins within.
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