Joanne Leonard: Vintage Photographs and Early Collages
Work by Stamps Distinguished University Professor Emerita Joanne Leonard is featured in the solo exhibition Joanne Leonard: Vintage Photographs and Early Collages, on view from May 29 through July 8 at London’s HackelBury Fine Art. The exhibition features photographs and early collage pieces from the 1960s-1980s that provide a striking glimpse into the social and cultural landscapes of the time, portraying moments of everyday life with a deeply humanistic perspective.
“One could say that collage allows a dialog, conversation, or push and pull – a layering of the past onto images from the present, a representation of dreams and even nightmares with collage layered onto scenes made in the light of day.” — Joanne Leonard
HackelBury presents the first UK solo exhibition by acclaimed artist, Joanne Leonard. Vintage Photographs and Early Collages features photographs from the 1960s and 1970s and unique early collage pieces from the 1970s and 1980s. This retrospective offers an intimate look into Leonard’s artistic evolution and her innovative approach to visual storytelling.
Known for her evocative and deeply personal imagery, which she describes as ‘intimate documentary,’ Leonard’s work from this era captures a profound sense of time and place. Blending documentary photography with poetic, dreamlike compositions, she draws inspiration from intimate family scenes, the realities of motherhood, and the political and social unrest of the time. The works on display offer an unfiltered glimpse into life as she experienced it. Her early collages, incorporating found imagery, handwritten text, and layered textures, reflect an experimental approach which challenges conventional artistic boundaries.
Leonard’s practice provides a striking glimpse into the social and cultural landscapes of the mid-20th century, portraying moments of everyday life with a deeply humanistic perspective. Underpinned by a feminist ideology, she recognises overlooked intimate and personal moments within women’s lives.
Inspired by the work of Mary Cassatt and Käthe Kollwitz, Leonard’s focus on the objects and artifacts of women’s lives is applied to both her early black and white photography, and to her photo collage and mixed media work, to create a distinct visual language.
Joanne Leonard: Vintage Photographs and Early Collages
Exhibition Dates: May 29 — July 8, 2025
HackelBury Fine Art, 4 Launceston Place London W8 5RL
Exhibition Events
- Artist Reception: June 5, 6 — 8 p.m. RSVP
- In Conversation — Joanne Leonard with Griselda Pollock and Fiona Rogers: June 6, 10:30 a.m. RSVP
View work featured in Joanne Leonard: Vintage Photographs and Early Collages.