Book Review: Zoe Leonard | Available Light
@Zoe Leonard. Image from Available Light, 2014. ©Zoe Leonard, courtesy of the artist and Dancing Fox Press
Written by Wenjie (Demi) Zhao
Photo Edited by Billy Chen
Copy Edited by Robyn Hager
“Zoe Leonard: Available Light” is a mesmerizing collection of works and critical essays that delve into the captivating oeuvre of the influential contemporary artist, Zoe Leonard. Published in 2014 by Ridinghouse, London, this comprehensive volume examines Leonard's enthralling photography and installations, as well as the themes underpinning her art. Edited by Karen Kelly and Barbara Schroeder, the book features the perspectives of four esteemed contributors - Diedrich Diederichsen, Suzanne Hudson, Glenn Ligon, and Eileen Myles - who provide valuable insights into Leonard's artistic vision and practice.
For over three decades, Zoe Leonard has been a prominent figure in the contemporary art world. Her thought-provoking work frequently engages with themes of identity, memory, and the passage of time. The book's title, “Available Light,” refers to the artist’s use of natural light in her photography, symbolizing the transient and ephemeral nature of existence. This collection offers an in-depth exploration of Leonard’s work, enriching readers’ understanding of her creative process and motivations.
@Zoe Leonard. Image from Available Light, 2014. ©Zoe Leonard, courtesy of the artist and Dancing Fox Press
The book unfolds in sections, each composed of essays that delve into various aspects of Leonard’s work. Diedrich Diederichsen presents an analytical perspective on Leonard’s treatment of space and temporality, proposing a “third photography” that occupies a unique position between art, truth, and evidence-based practice. He dissects her various photographic techniques, exploring her use of long exposure and deliberate inclusion of light leaks to create haunting images evoking a sense of loss, absence, and the passage of time. Leonard’s work follows the logic of the unconscious, transforming the man-made into something natural and contingent, and revealing the historical and cultural influences that inform her artistic choices. He also highlights her use of camera obscura; spaces that transform the environment into an image as a means to investigate the intersection of the infinite and the ordinary.
@Zoe Leonard. Image from Available Light, 2014. ©Zoe Leonard, courtesy of the artist and Dancing Fox Press
Suzanne Hudson offers a personal narrative on identifying sources of light reflections on the ceiling and segues into Zoe Leonard's work, describing it as a social camera that invites the world into a room for shared experiences and interactions. Hudson reflects on communal experiences in the dark, questioning the purpose of such events and the connection between these intimate gatherings and people living without power worldwide. Focusing on Leonard’s lesser-known sculptural works, Hudson demonstrates how the artist's attention to the body, in both form and function, provides insights into broader themes of gender, identity, and the value of shared experiences and human connections.
@Zoe Leonard. Image from Available Light, 2014. ©Zoe Leonard, courtesy of the artist and Dancing Fox Press
Glenn Ligon, himself an artist, provides a unique perspective on Zoe Leonard's “100 North Nevill Street (2013),” her fifth camera obscura installation since 2011. Each piece masterfully plays with architecture, environmental conditions, and location, challenging conventional photographic practices and blurring the lines between analog and digital photography. Ligon explores the connection between Leonard's work and Eadweard Muybridge’s sequential photographs, emphasizing the fleeting nature of moments and the relentless passage of time. Eileen Myles, a renowned poet, delves into the interplay between language and image in Leonard’s work, discussing the importance of emotion in her art and highlighting her use of text in her installations, and how Leonard’s sun photographs series, which, despite their minimalist appearance, evoke powerful emotions and inspire reflection on time and the viewing experience.
@Zoe Leonard. Image from Available Light, 2014. ©Zoe Leonard, courtesy of the artist and Dancing Fox Press
One of the book’s strengths lies in the stunning reproductions of Leonard’s art, with high-quality images of her photography and installations generously interspersed throughout the volume. The diverse perspectives offered by the contributors create a well-rounded and engaging study of Leonard’s art, while the ethereal images ensure that readers can fully appreciate her visual contributions. “Zoe Leonard: Available Light” is a captivating and enlightening exploration of a multifaceted artist's work, making it an essential read for anyone interested in contemporary photography, themes of identity and memory, or searching for the light.
