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ELENI LEOUSSI (Greece, Athens b. 1946 / act: London) |
Eleni Leoussi was born in Athens in 1946. She studied at the Athens School of Fine Arts - ASFA (1964-1967), drawing with Panos Sarafianos and sculpture with Thanassis Apartis. She also studied graphic design at Doxiadis School, Athens. She went on to study typographic design at the London College of Printing (1968-1969) and then Photography at Harrow College of Technology and Art, London (1969-1972).Eleni Leoussi is now established as one of the best known and most original photographers of contemporary dance. Since 1972 she has been recording some of the world's most innovative performers and companies in dance, from Emilyn Claid to Lynn Seymour and from Ballet Bejart to DV8 Physical Theatre.
Her style is distinguished for a quality of various contrasts such as grainy definition, imperceptible motion, and luminous shadows. Her approach to photographing dance has been described as extending the bounds of how we conceive both dance and photography. Her ability to capture the fluidity and metamorphosis of dance has led to her being sought out by many leading performers and performance companies as the photographer ideally suited to present their work. Cecil Beaton, when compiling his 1975 book The Magic Image, also insisted on including Leoussi's work. Her first book, Reherasal: Photographs of Dance, was published in 1999 by Dewi Lewis Publishing, and is introduced by Amanda Hopkinson, writer and broadcaster specializing in photography. The Hellenic Foundation in London awarded Eleni Leoussi as the most promising Greek artist working in the UK in 1992.
Eleni Leoussi presented the following personal exhibitions: Modern Dance, Photographic Gallery, Southampton University (1975); Dance Photographs, Riverside Studios, London (1981); Eleni Leoussi, Kreonidis Gallery, Athens (1992); Dance Photographs, Six Chapel Row Gallery, Bath (1996); Images of Dance and Performance, Guildhall Arts Centre, Gloucester (1997); Dance Photographs, Hellenic Centre, London (1998); and Dance Photographs, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds (1998). She also took part in the following group exhibitions: Fleeting Gestures, Photographers Gallery, London (1980); Gathering Light, Camerawork/Chisenhale, London (1987); Contemporary Women Photographers, Association of Photographers Gallery, London (1992); Mixed Exhibition of Painting, Sculpture and Photography, John Jones Gallery, London (1993); Revelations: Photographs of Male and Female Nude, John Jones Gallery, London (1994); Illusion, Association of Photographers Gallery, London (1996); Family Matters, Association of Photographers Gallery, London (1997); Dance in a Cold Climate, Northgate Arts Centre, Ipswich (1997); Secret Garden, Association of Photographers Gallery, London (1999); The Gallery Collection, Focus Gallery, London (1999); The 3rd Annual Exhibition: Collection of Dance and Performance Photography, Luke & A Gallery, London (2002); Charity Fundraising Exhibition: Heartworks, Six Chapel Row Gallery, Bath (2003); and Silent Dialogues: Multimedia Portraits Throughout Time, ACG Art Gallery, The American College of Greece, Athens (2008).
Eleni Leoussi currently lives and works in London.
[Megakles Rogakos 04/2009]
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
HOPKINSON, AMANDA Rehearsal: Photographs of Dance by Eleni Leoussi 1999 Dewi Lewis, London
CHAPLIN, PATRICE Eleni Leoussi: My Greece 2004 Patakis Publishers, Athens
