Tate | Online project | Tarzan to Rambo


	The Fae Richards Archive, 1996		Zoe Leonard Since her inclusion in Documenta IX in 1992 Zoe Leonard has had a major international solo career. Aside from Leonard's celebrated work, The Fae Richards Archive, 1996, she has exhibited widely in the US and Europe. Solo exhibitions include shows at the Centre National de la Photographie, Paris (1998); and Paula Copper Gallery, New York (2000). Her work has featured in group exhibitions at the Whitney, New York; Musee d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, Paris; and MoMA, New York. She lives and works in New York. The Fae Richards Archive, 1996 Photographs and mixed media

	Leonard and filmmaker Cheryl Dunne have created a photographic archive documenting the life of the fictional black actress and singer Fae Richards. Although Fae Richards never existed, Leonard uses the character to draw upon the histories of many people whose lives have not been recorded. By experimenting with photographic convention and using the language of masquerade and disguise, Leonard borrows from the lives of historical figures to create a narrative structure, inviting speculation about Richards' life, and questioning accepted notions of race, class and sexuality.

Other Works in Focus: Pharmacy | Cold Dark Matter