Emmanuelle Léonard

Born in Montreal, where she currently resides and practices, Emmanuelle Léonard is a distinguished artist with a Master’s Degree from the University du Québec à Montréal. Her prolific career has been marked by numerous solo and group exhibitions, showcasing her work at prestigious venues such as the Montreal Museum of Contemporary Art, Art Gallery of Ontario, and VOX Contemporary Image Center, Montreal. Internationally, her art has graced the Fresnoy, France; Kunsthaus, Dresden; and the Neuer Berliner Kunstverein, Germany. Noteworthy exhibitions include the Daegu Photo Biennale, South Korea; Mercer Union, Toronto; Glassbox, Paris, and L’Œil de poisson, Quebec. In 2019, Emmanuelle Léonard presented a solo exhibition The Deployment at Galerie de l’UQAM, under the curation of Louise Déry, accompanied by a comprehensive catalogue. This exhibition is now touring, recently shown at the Canadian Cultural Centre, Paris, France.

Léonard’s artistic journey has been enriched by select residencies at prestigious institutions, including the Villa Arson, France; the Christoph Merian Foundation, Switzerland; and the Finnish Artist Residency Foundation. In 2018, she embarked on an artist-in-residence program in Bogota, Colombia, and collaborated with the Canadian Forces Arts Program, stationed in Nunavit. This residency turned into the body of work presented in The Deployment. Léonard’s achievements are punctuated by accolades such as the Pierre-Ayot Prize in 2005, and her inclusion in the 2012 exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, part of the International Grange Prize for which she received a nomination. Notably, in 2020, Emmanuelle Léonard earned a place among the three finalists for the prestigious Scotiabank Photography Prize, a testament to her enduring impact in the realm of contemporary art.