Sea Beach with Ismail Ferdous
November 8th, 2024 – January 5, 2025

A cotton candy seller at the beach of Cox’s Bazar

 

“Sea Beach is woven from threads of my childhood memories. I first visited Cox’s Bazar as a young boy, it was my parents’ first holiday together. While we were there my grandmother said to me, “Don’t go too deep into the water, as you cannot swim.” When my mom encouraged me to play in the waves, her sari catching the breeze, I’d hear my grandmother’s caution. It wasn’t until adulthood that I braved the water and swam.

Growing up in Dhaka, I returned throughout my youth, first with family and later with friends. From early days playing in its sands to coming of age through the free roaming of adolescence, and now decades on returning as an adult, this beach on the Bay of Bengal has remained an enduring presence in my life. In my twenties, curiosity led me across oceans, and I eventually settled in New York. Over the decade since, I have traveled widely photographing human migration, natural and human-made disaster, war and conflict. Throughout, I’ve been drawn to the culture of coastlines. In 2017, I returned to Cox’s Bazar. History had turned swaths into safe haven for more than a million Rohingya fleeing ethnic cleansing from Myanmar. Over four years, I documented the profound human displacement.

The beach was just over the hills from the refugee camps, but it was not until early 2020 that I found time to return to the shores of my youth. My gaze by now was tinted by the tides of other oceans and returning to Cox’s Bazar felt like stepping into the corridors of memory attuned by distance in time and space. Cox’s Bazar is where people from across the districts, dialects, religions and social strata of Bangladesh come together, as if in diorama. Ordinary life is illuminated by refraction of sunlight on the sea, animating the rich breadth of Bengali and indigenous cultural heritage.

Marine Drive reveals dense forests to the east giving way to lush hills, and finally expansive sands to the west. What was once Angel Drop lookout has been replaced by enormous sandbags holding back rising tides. Where the highway descends towards Dolphin Circle, life in Cox’s Bazar carries on as it has. The air holds the scent of salt and affection.

The journey outward leads inward, and the farther I have traveled, the more I have come to perceive the landscapes of origin. Sea Beach is a touchstone and gateway. Waves repeat endless cycles of departure and return, as with every shoreline on Earth, and we find a communal crossroad here between vastness and intimacy.”- Ismail Ferdous

Reflections of Life with Manfred Baumann
August 23rd – November 3rd, 2024

“I have the great advantage of being able to see and experience my life multiple times – through my eyes, my camera, my books, exhibitions, and photos. Photography is my calling; I love the diverse worlds it encompasses. I continually immerse myself in different worlds with my muse and wife, Nelly!

James Bond alias Sir Roger Moore discovered me and once said that my Leica is my paintbrush and that I paint with it. He introduced me to the world of Hollywood, to legends like Tony Curtis or Kirk Douglas.” – Manfred Baumann

Baumann’s Reflections of Life will delve into the stylistic and dreamlike moments that span across his subject matter. From the street to the studio, Baumann carries his artistic vision and distinct way of looking at the world.

Moments When The Smoke Clears: Two Years Covering The War in Ukraine
by Svet Jacqueline
June 14^th – August 18^th, 2024

A young boy looks out the bus window after leaving the Kharkiv metro station on May 22, 2022, after seeking shelter there for three months following Russians invasion of Ukraine of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

“When I first arrived in Ukraine at the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, it was completely foreign to me. I was thrown into the breaking news of covering war, drawn instinctively to the humanitarian moments that seemed most undeserved. I had a semi-broken camera, an age-old computer, and defaulting hard drives in my bag – no conflict experience, no editorial contacts, and a small amount of borrowed money in my pocket.

Never had I seen such grief, violence, and death.

This past year has allowed for a deeper perspective, an integration of everyday moments that seem to provide relief from the never-ending tragedy. As a Russian orphan around the collapse of the Soviet Union adopted into a Ukrainian-descending American family, the history of Russia and Ukraine has always been a personal story.

The message now feels more abstract than just what war looks like – it is what surviving a war feels like” – Svet Jacqueline

THE TRAVELLERS AND THE TROUBLES
by Jamie Johnson and John Day
FEBRUARY 2 – APRIL 20, 2024

This new photography exhibition brings together the unique perspectives of two distinguished photographers, Jamie Johnson and John Day. This showcase, running from February 2nd until April 20th, delves into the heart of Ireland’s history, presenting two distinct approaches to documenting a culture through the lens of monochrome photography. “The Travelers and The Troubles” presents a unique journey through time as well as a poignant reflection on Ireland’s past.

Sign up for our opening reception and for an artist talk and book signing with Jamie Johnson.

JAMIE JOHNSON
Jamie Johnson has spent her photographic career traveling the world to document children. This current body of work, ‘Growing Up Traveling’, focuses on the Irish Travellers who live in caravans along the roadside and in open fields across Ireland. The Travelers are a community of oral tradition, and Johnson’s work will help to visually document their rich culture. She returns frequently to record these families as they grow up, forging generational connections with this historically misunderstood community.

JOHN DAY
John Day spent the summer of 1972 in Belfast, Ireland, armed with newspaper press passes and a dream to become a journalist. He was there to write about The Troubles, and just happened to bring his Leica M2R along for the ride. After immersing himself in the community, it became clear this story was meant to be told on film. Capturing the atmosphere of daily life during this conflict, Day brings the viewer back in time with compositions full of joy hidden around corners alongside the tension. Day was in the area with his friend, Richard Dunne, on July 21st, now called Bloody Friday. After seeing the aftermath and following the victims to the hospital, Day vowed to become a doctor. For the last forty years, he worked as a Pulmonary and Critical Care Physician and now is happily retired in Woodstock, CT.

IF THIS ISN’T LOVE artist talk
with Brooklynn Kascel, Jackie Molloy, and Natalia Neuhaus
September 9

Over the past twelve months Brooklynn Kascel, Natalia Neuhaus, and Jackie Molloy have mentored with The VII Foundation through the Leica Women Foto Project Mentorship Award. Leica Boston is honored to exhibit their work in our show, ‘If This Isn’t Love’, this September and October. Join us on opening day for an artist talk with our three photographers, in conversation with Gary Knight of the VII Foundation.

SEAN BLACK artist talk
May 20

© Sean Black

Join us with artist Sean Black to learn more about our show, ‘Secretly Pretty’ X ‘The Gay Essay’

We are pleased to welcome Sean Black for an artist talk on Saturday, May 20th, from 12-2pm. Black will give insight to both ‘Secretly Pretty’, his body of self-portraiture, along with Anthony Friedkin’s ‘The Gay Essay’. We look forward to seeing you there!

ANTHONY FRIEDKIN x SEAN BLACK
May 20 – June 25

      
© Anthony Friedkin  //  © Sean Black

LEADERSHIP REDEFINED // VANESSA LEROY
February 4 – March 27

© Vanessa Leroy

Working with artist Vanessa Leroy from the Black Women Photography collective, Leica Gallery Boston presents a never before seen series of portraits that highlight diversified leadership in the Boston area. Shown during Black History Month and Women’s History Month, this exhibition celebrates women of all backgrounds and black and brown leaders that are carrying us into the future.

We intentionally combine the celebration of these two commemorations to embody the spirit of community support, resilience, and diversity. We invite the Boston community to celebrate these achievements with us at Leica Gallery Boston and to acknowledge that our work is not yet done. This exhibition is co-curated by Leica Boston’s Gallery Director Jeannie Dale and local Creative Director Jean Dolin.

A PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY // JOE GREER
October 13- November 14

© Joe Greer

“Each photograph really does come down to a split second when you decide to freeze that moment in time. . . . You ask yourself what the story is that you want to tell, and let the rest unfold: Click.”

This body of work will showcase Greer’s many facets. Photographs everywhere from Florida to India, living rooms in Cuba, sunsets with loved ones, to portraits with Greta Van Fleet, this show offers a glimpse into the adventurous and playful life of Joe Greer.

Always exploring with a Leica M-6 in hand, Joe Greer’s love of photography is evident in every shot he takes. Beginning his journey through Instagram, Greer is a self-taught photographer whose first compositions were taken on an iPhone camera. Now, an established artist, Greer works commercially with Apple, VSCO, Land Rover, Harley Davidson, JW Marriott, Ralph Lauren, Cadillac, and Mont Blanc, as well as portraiture work with artists such as Leon Bridges, Karlie Kloss, Greta Van Fleet, and Joji. More personal projects include his love of Landscape Photography, as well as Street work inspired by his time living in New York City. Greer creates a dreamy atmosphere within his works, with airy color palettes and soft lines that hint toward hope and possibility.

REMARKABLE WOMEN // MARY ELLEN MARK
September 8 – October 9

© Mary Ellen Mark

An exhibition of work from renowned photographer Mary Ellen Mark. This show features some of Mark’s most memorable images from her lifelong study of women’s issues. Mary Ellen Mark (1940-2015) has been a leading photographer for over 30 years and has achieved worldwide visibility through her many exhibitions, photo essays, books, and portraits. Mark’s work as a female documentary and street photographer opened doors for many female artists to follow, and we are lucky to celebrate this at Leica Boston. Mary Ellen Mark’s pictures of diverse people and backgrounds are groundbreaking images in the documentary field. Her compositions are compassionate and factual, bringing original thought and insightful ways to examine the human condition in its many forms. Shown together for the first time with works from Yana Paskova’s series “Where Women Rule”, the two female artists highlight the inner strength of women all over the world.

LEICA WOMEN FOTO PROJECT EXHIBITION
Exhibit Opening March 8, 2022

© Karen Zusman

The Leica Women Foto Project (LWFP) is a platform by Leica Camera USA that serves to empower the female perspective and its impact on today’s visual stories.  It encourages diversity and inclusion in visual storytelling to amplify voices typically underrepresented in photography, discovering the breadth of shapes formed by a single story.

The Inward//Outward exhibit, opening Tuesday, March 8, at 6 p.m. allows us to step into the private lives of three women, who celebrate and address their hometowns, families, and bodies through photography. An interactive Expression Wall will be part of the exhibit where you can contribute to the project by sharing your own story and thoughts.  Visit us for this engaging and dynamic celebration of the Boston female perspective.

IF THIS ISN’T LOVE
September 9

Brooklynn Kascel | Fear and Loving

Since 2017, I have photographed my queer peers in my home state of Iowa and the greater midwestern region in my ongoing series, Fear And Loving. By combining autobiographical documentary and conceptual imagery, I chronicle interpersonal queer exchanges fastened within the midwestern landscape – a place of distinct beauty, a place I love, but somewhere that is not always welcoming to all.

Using eastern Iowa as the main backdrop, these black-and-white photographs synchronously celebrate this unassuming region and recognize the harmful rhetoric toward LGBTQIA2+ people that is speckled within its geography.

Fear And Loving depicts the places where we find each other to navigate the political and cultural barriers to expression and intimacy as they relate to queerness, transness and homosexual relationships. In parts of the U.S. that have not experienced cultural awakenings more common in metropolitan areas, this imagery demands the urgency for open dialogues in rural and suburban spaces about gender identity, sexual fluidity, and de-stigmatizing homosexuality as a phase.

Jackie Molloy | Love and Chaos

Love and Chaos is a coming-of-age documentation of the Larson quadruplets. Courtney Larson always wanted to be a mother and when told at 25 the devastating news she might not be able to conceive, she and her husband, Cameron, didn’t waste time. Three rounds of fertility treatments later they found out they were pregnant with quadruplets. The babies were born premature and have worked diligently to keep up with their milestones.

When I met the family in 2014 I was drawn to their openness and Courtney and Cameron’s commitment to their children, making sure they had everything they needed to strive. Since then I have visited them yearly watching the children come into themselves. Their strong personalities are so different from one another but their bond to each other is seemingly everlasting. This story touches upon themes of commitment to family, raising multiples, and childhood adolescence.

I plan to photograph the family until the children are at least 18 to see the trials and tribulations as well as the successes and joys they will experience. Every year I see how Ashlyn, Brody, Cooper and Kylie continue to evolve and come into their own, each so independent but also so connected to one another.

Natalia Neuhaus | Healers: Sex Work as a Calling

In the past few years, I’ve become friends with women who are sex workers, and that’s how this project started. Befriending them helped me change my preconceived ideas of who a sex worker is. These friends chose this profession, as did the women photographed in this project. Many sex workers are artists whose extreme sensitivity and empathy toward others are only comparable to nurturing healers. In a world deprived of human touch and shame surrounding sex and sexuality, it’s them who provide a cure for this malady. In exchange, this profession gives them the financial stability to afford college, rent, healthcare, and the cost of living in NYC.

This body of work is an homage to everyone in this profession. To those who fought and keep on fighting for decriminalization and those who constantly fear being arrested, deported, and having their children taken away from them. This constant fear and fortuitous exposure to violence is the reason why Human Rights Watch supports the full decriminalization of sex work. Since 2021, NYC became the first city in the U.S. to no longer prosecute sex work; hopefully, more will follow.

ABOUT THE VII FOUNDATION

For decades, on their most exacting assignments, VII photographers have relied on Leica cameras to help them challenge the status quo and change how the world is perceived. Through training and education, the VII Foundation and Leica are committed to changing the demographic of the visual media landscape.

In partnership with Leica Womens Foto Project, the VII Mentor Program provides a structured professional environment for emerging new talents in the industry. VII mentors three early-career women photographers for a year, culminating in the opportunity for them to join the VII team at the worlds leading photo festival in southern France, the Rencontres d’Arles.

The year-long program provides a structured professional learning environment with monthly expert sessions exploring critical topics like ethics, editing, business practice, grant writing, branding, design fundamentals, story pitching, entrepreneurship, legalities, hostile environment awareness training and more. Mentees work with editors, curators, and other media professionals and are paired with a practising member of the VII team who provides professional guidance and mentoring. Redux agency represents the mentees’ work for the duration of the program, and mentees are eligible for commissions through The VII Foundation.

IF THIS ISN’T LOVE artist talk
with Brooklynn Kascel, Jackie Molloy, and Natalia Neuhaus
September 9

Over the past twelve months Brooklynn Kascel, Natalia Neuhaus, and Jackie Molloy have mentored with The VII Foundation through the Leica Women Foto Project Mentorship Award. Leica Boston is honored to exhibit their work in our show, ‘If This Isn’t Love’, this September and October. Join us on opening day for an artist talk with our three photographers, in conversation with Gary Knight of the VII Foundation.

SEAN BLACK artist talk
May 20

© Sean Black

Join us with artist Sean Black to learn more about our show, ‘Secretly Pretty’ X ‘The Gay Essay’

We are pleased to welcome Sean Black for an artist talk on Saturday, May 20th, from 12-2pm. Black will give insight to both ‘Secretly Pretty’, his body of self-portraiture, along with Anthony Friedkin’s ‘The Gay Essay’. We look forward to seeing you there!

ANTHONY FRIEDKIN x SEAN BLACK
May 20 – June 25

      
© Anthony Friedkin  //  © Sean Black

LEADERSHIP REDEFINED // VANESSA LEROY
February 4 – March 27

© Vanessa Leroy

Working with artist Vanessa Leroy from the Black Women Photography collective, Leica Gallery Boston presents a never before seen series of portraits that highlight diversified leadership in the Boston area. Shown during Black History Month and Women’s History Month, this exhibition celebrates women of all backgrounds and black and brown leaders that are carrying us into the future.

We intentionally combine the celebration of these two commemorations to embody the spirit of community support, resilience, and diversity. We invite the Boston community to celebrate these achievements with us at Leica Gallery Boston and to acknowledge that our work is not yet done. This exhibition is co-curated by Leica Boston’s Gallery Director Jeannie Dale and local Creative Director Jean Dolin.

A PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY // JOE GREER
October 13- November 14

© Joe Greer

“Each photograph really does come down to a split second when you decide to freeze that moment in time. . . . You ask yourself what the story is that you want to tell, and let the rest unfold: Click.”

This body of work will showcase Greer’s many facets. Photographs everywhere from Florida to India, living rooms in Cuba, sunsets with loved ones, to portraits with Greta Van Fleet, this show offers a glimpse into the adventurous and playful life of Joe Greer.

Always exploring with a Leica M-6 in hand, Joe Greer’s love of photography is evident in every shot he takes. Beginning his journey through Instagram, Greer is a self-taught photographer whose first compositions were taken on an iPhone camera. Now, an established artist, Greer works commercially with Apple, VSCO, Land Rover, Harley Davidson, JW Marriott, Ralph Lauren, Cadillac, and Mont Blanc, as well as portraiture work with artists such as Leon Bridges, Karlie Kloss, Greta Van Fleet, and Joji. More personal projects include his love of Landscape Photography, as well as Street work inspired by his time living in New York City. Greer creates a dreamy atmosphere within his works, with airy color palettes and soft lines that hint toward hope and possibility.

REMARKABLE WOMEN // MARY ELLEN MARK
September 8 – October 9

© Mary Ellen Mark

An exhibition of work from renowned photographer Mary Ellen Mark. This show features some of Mark’s most memorable images from her lifelong study of women’s issues. Mary Ellen Mark (1940-2015) has been a leading photographer for over 30 years and has achieved worldwide visibility through her many exhibitions, photo essays, books, and portraits. Mark’s work as a female documentary and street photographer opened doors for many female artists to follow, and we are lucky to celebrate this at Leica Boston. Mary Ellen Mark’s pictures of diverse people and backgrounds are groundbreaking images in the documentary field. Her compositions are compassionate and factual, bringing original thought and insightful ways to examine the human condition in its many forms. Shown together for the first time with works from Yana Paskova’s series “Where Women Rule”, the two female artists highlight the inner strength of women all over the world.

LEICA WOMEN FOTO PROJECT EXHIBITION
Exhibit Opening March 8, 2022

© Karen Zusman

The Leica Women Foto Project (LWFP) is a platform by Leica Camera USA that serves to empower the female perspective and its impact on today’s visual stories.  It encourages diversity and inclusion in visual storytelling to amplify voices typically underrepresented in photography, discovering the breadth of shapes formed by a single story.

The Inward//Outward exhibit, opening Tuesday, March 8, at 6 p.m. allows us to step into the private lives of three women, who celebrate and address their hometowns, families, and bodies through photography. An interactive Expression Wall will be part of the exhibit where you can contribute to the project by sharing your own story and thoughts.  Visit us for this engaging and dynamic celebration of the Boston female perspective.

SEAN BLACK artist talk
May 20

© Sean Black

Join us with artist Sean Black to learn more about our show, ‘Secretly Pretty’ X ‘The Gay Essay’

We are pleased to welcome Sean Black for an artist talk on Saturday, May 20th, from 12-2pm. Black will give insight to both ‘Secretly Pretty’, his body of self-portraiture, along with Anthony Friedkin’s ‘The Gay Essay’. We look forward to seeing you there!

ANTHONY FRIEDKIN x SEAN BLACK
May 20 – June 25

      
© Anthony Friedkin  //  © Sean Black

LEADERSHIP REDEFINED // VANESSA LEROY
February 4 – March 27

© Vanessa Leroy

Working with artist Vanessa Leroy from the Black Women Photography collective, Leica Gallery Boston presents a never before seen series of portraits that highlight diversified leadership in the Boston area. Shown during Black History Month and Women’s History Month, this exhibition celebrates women of all backgrounds and black and brown leaders that are carrying us into the future.

We intentionally combine the celebration of these two commemorations to embody the spirit of community support, resilience, and diversity. We invite the Boston community to celebrate these achievements with us at Leica Gallery Boston and to acknowledge that our work is not yet done. This exhibition is co-curated by Leica Boston’s Gallery Director Jeannie Dale and local Creative Director Jean Dolin.

A PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY // JOE GREER
October 13- November 14

© Joe Greer

“Each photograph really does come down to a split second when you decide to freeze that moment in time. . . . You ask yourself what the story is that you want to tell, and let the rest unfold: Click.”

This body of work will showcase Greer’s many facets. Photographs everywhere from Florida to India, living rooms in Cuba, sunsets with loved ones, to portraits with Greta Van Fleet, this show offers a glimpse into the adventurous and playful life of Joe Greer.

Always exploring with a Leica M-6 in hand, Joe Greer’s love of photography is evident in every shot he takes. Beginning his journey through Instagram, Greer is a self-taught photographer whose first compositions were taken on an iPhone camera. Now, an established artist, Greer works commercially with Apple, VSCO, Land Rover, Harley Davidson, JW Marriott, Ralph Lauren, Cadillac, and Mont Blanc, as well as portraiture work with artists such as Leon Bridges, Karlie Kloss, Greta Van Fleet, and Joji. More personal projects include his love of Landscape Photography, as well as Street work inspired by his time living in New York City. Greer creates a dreamy atmosphere within his works, with airy color palettes and soft lines that hint toward hope and possibility.

REMARKABLE WOMEN // MARY ELLEN MARK
September 8 – October 9

© Mary Ellen Mark

An exhibition of work from renowned photographer Mary Ellen Mark. This show features some of Mark’s most memorable images from her lifelong study of women’s issues. Mary Ellen Mark (1940-2015) has been a leading photographer for over 30 years and has achieved worldwide visibility through her many exhibitions, photo essays, books, and portraits. Mark’s work as a female documentary and street photographer opened doors for many female artists to follow, and we are lucky to celebrate this at Leica Boston. Mary Ellen Mark’s pictures of diverse people and backgrounds are groundbreaking images in the documentary field. Her compositions are compassionate and factual, bringing original thought and insightful ways to examine the human condition in its many forms. Shown together for the first time with works from Yana Paskova’s series “Where Women Rule”, the two female artists highlight the inner strength of women all over the world.

LEICA WOMEN FOTO PROJECT EXHIBITION
Exhibit Opening March 8, 2022

© Karen Zusman

The Leica Women Foto Project (LWFP) is a platform by Leica Camera USA that serves to empower the female perspective and its impact on today’s visual stories.  It encourages diversity and inclusion in visual storytelling to amplify voices typically underrepresented in photography, discovering the breadth of shapes formed by a single story.

The Inward//Outward exhibit, opening Tuesday, March 8, at 6 p.m. allows us to step into the private lives of three women, who celebrate and address their hometowns, families, and bodies through photography. An interactive Expression Wall will be part of the exhibit where you can contribute to the project by sharing your own story and thoughts.  Visit us for this engaging and dynamic celebration of the Boston female perspective.

LEICA AKADEMIE WORKSHOP
March 19th, 2022 – Photography Fundamentals – Boston

An in-person workshop for novice & beginner students venturing into the world of photography. Students will be introduced to the basic technical elements of photography to get the most out of their camera.  This workshop is also a great course to take to prepare you better for the product-level workshops we offer such as, LEICA M10 Owners, LEICA Q Owners, and LEICA LC Owners Workshops.  The fundamental topics and discussions will help you understand photography concepts & terminology in the photographic arts.  This will prepare you for advanced topics and master-level workshops later down the road as you progress as a photographer.