Zoe Leonard
Encyclopedia
Zoe Leonard is an American artist and photographer, based in New York City. A photographer since the mid-1980s, she has been well known since her work appeared in documenta IX
in 1992. She was shortlisted for the 2010 Deutsche Börse Photography Prize
.
, the daughter of a Polish refugee, and grew up in New York City. At 15, she dropped out of school and started taking photographs. She has spent much of her adult life living in New York City
, which has been the focus of much of her work. She became well known following her 1992 exhibition in documenta IX
. During the mid-1990s she spent two years living alone in Alaska, an experience that influenced her artwork.
In 1995 she had an exhibition called Strange Fruit (for David), inspired by the 1992 death of her friend, artist David Wojnarowicz
from AIDS, as well as a trip to India. The exhibition, at her studio in the Lower East Side
of Manhattan, involved discarded fruit skins she had sewn together and decorated with materials including wire, buttons and thread. It was exhibited during 1998 at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
. She said of this work, "This act of fixing something broken, repairing the skin of something after the fruit of it is gone, strikes me as both pathetic and beautiful. At any rate it is intensely human."
Leonard created the Fae Richards Archive, a collection of photographs of a fictional 1930s actress for Cheryl Dunye
's 1996 film The Watermelon Woman
. Her 2000 exhibition at the Paula Cooper Gallery
featured a collection of dolls she had found or bought at flea markets.
In 2009 she had an exhibition called Zoe Leonard Photographs, at Munich
's Pinakothek der Moderne
, as well as Derrotero, shown at the Hispanic Society of America in New York City. In 2010 she was shortlisted along with three others for the £30,000 Deutsche Börse Photography Prize
, which was won by Sophie Ristelhueber
.
Documenta
documenta is an exhibition of modern and contemporary art which takes place every five years in Kassel, Germany. It was founded by artist, teacher and curator Arnold Bode in 1955 as part of the Bundesgartenschau which took place in Kassel at that time...
in 1992. She was shortlisted for the 2010 Deutsche Börse Photography Prize
Deutsche Börse Photography Prize
The Deutsche Börse Photography Prize is a prize that annually rewards a photographer who has made the most significant contribution to the photographic medium in Europe, during the past year....
.
Biography
Zoe Leonard was born in 1961 in Liberty, New YorkLiberty (town), New York
Liberty is a town in Sullivan County, New York, United States. The population was 9,632 at the 2000 census.The Town of Liberty contains a village of Liberty. The village is bisected by state route 52 and 55, and is crossed by New York State Route 17....
, the daughter of a Polish refugee, and grew up in New York City. At 15, she dropped out of school and started taking photographs. She has spent much of her adult life living in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, which has been the focus of much of her work. She became well known following her 1992 exhibition in documenta IX
Documenta
documenta is an exhibition of modern and contemporary art which takes place every five years in Kassel, Germany. It was founded by artist, teacher and curator Arnold Bode in 1955 as part of the Bundesgartenschau which took place in Kassel at that time...
. During the mid-1990s she spent two years living alone in Alaska, an experience that influenced her artwork.
In 1995 she had an exhibition called Strange Fruit (for David), inspired by the 1992 death of her friend, artist David Wojnarowicz
David Wojnarowicz
David Wojnarowicz was a painter, photographer, writer, filmmaker, performance artist, and activist who was prominent in the New York City art world of the 1980s.-Biography:...
from AIDS, as well as a trip to India. The exhibition, at her studio in the Lower East Side
Lower East Side
The Lower East Side, LES, is a neighborhood in the southeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is roughly bounded by Allen Street, East Houston Street, Essex Street, Canal Street, Eldridge Street, East Broadway, and Grand Street....
of Manhattan, involved discarded fruit skins she had sewn together and decorated with materials including wire, buttons and thread. It was exhibited during 1998 at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
Philadelphia Museum of Art
The Philadelphia Museum of Art is among the largest art museums in the United States. It is located at the west end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park. The Museum was established in 1876 in conjunction with the Centennial Exposition of the same year...
. She said of this work, "This act of fixing something broken, repairing the skin of something after the fruit of it is gone, strikes me as both pathetic and beautiful. At any rate it is intensely human."
Leonard created the Fae Richards Archive, a collection of photographs of a fictional 1930s actress for Cheryl Dunye
Cheryl Dunye
Cheryl Dunye is a film director, producer, screenwriter, editor and actress. Dunye is a lesbian and her work often concerns themes of race, sexuality and gender, particularly issues relating to black lesbians.Dunye was born in Liberia...
's 1996 film The Watermelon Woman
The Watermelon Woman
The Watermelon Woman is a 1996 feature film by filmmaker Cheryl Dunye about Cheryl, a young black lesbian working a day job in a video store while trying to make a film about a black actress from the 1930s known for playing the stereotypical "mammy" roles relegated to black actresses during the...
. Her 2000 exhibition at the Paula Cooper Gallery
Paula Cooper Gallery
The Paula Cooper Gallery is an art gallery in New York City founded in 1968.The gallery is primarily known for the Minimalist and Conceptual artists it has represented and whose careers it helped launch. Such artists include: Carl Andre, Jennifer Bartlett, Lynda Benglis, Mark di Suvero, Donald...
featured a collection of dolls she had found or bought at flea markets.
In 2009 she had an exhibition called Zoe Leonard Photographs, at Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
's Pinakothek der Moderne
Pinakothek der Moderne
The Pinakothek der Moderne is a modern art museum, situated in the city centre of Munich, Germany. Together with its two predecessors Alte Pinakothek and Neue Pinakothek The Pinakothek der Moderne (= "(Art) Gallery of the Modern"; from Greek: "pinax" = "board", "tablet") is a modern art museum,...
, as well as Derrotero, shown at the Hispanic Society of America in New York City. In 2010 she was shortlisted along with three others for the £30,000 Deutsche Börse Photography Prize
Deutsche Börse Photography Prize
The Deutsche Börse Photography Prize is a prize that annually rewards a photographer who has made the most significant contribution to the photographic medium in Europe, during the past year....
, which was won by Sophie Ristelhueber
Sophie Ristelhueber
Sophie Ristelhueber is a French photographer. Her photographs concern the human impact of war, and she has photographed extensively in the Balkans and Middle East. She was born in Paris, where she still lives. In January 2010, she earned a place on the shortlist for the Deutsche Börse Photography...
.