“Zoe Leonard: Analogue"

This ambitious project made up of both color and black-and-white photos was created over a ten year period, and takes its cues from Eugène Atget’s iconic documentation of ancient Parisian neighborhoods disappearing under the onslaught of modernization. In similar fashion, Leonard used a vintage Rolleiflex camera to capture vanishing mom-and-pop enterprises. Starting out in her East Village neighborhood, Leonard expanded her search to include storefronts in Eastern Europe, Africa, Cuba and Mexico, with an eye towards the colorful hand-made signage distinguishing each place. A subset of shots picture businesses selling Kodak film, with the brand’s distinctive yellow-and-red logo emblazoned on awnings, door frames and window displays. These last images nod to Leonard’s title and its reference to a film medium that is itself becoming obsolete thanks to digital photography.