Paola Leonardi

Paola Leonardi is a Senior Lecturer and Course Leader for the BA (Hons) Fashion Photography program at The Sir John Cass School of Art and Design, London Metropolitan University. She holds an MA in Image and Communication from Goldsmiths College (2006). Her research focuses on cultural identity transitions, human geography, and migration crises, particularly through collaborations like the EU Bordercare anthropological project (2016–2020). She has curated exhibitions including Shifting Stances (2019) and Borderlands: The Edges of Europe (2016), exhibited globally in institutions like MoMA and the V&A Museum.

Teaching responsibilities include curriculum development, assessment frameworks, and student progression strategies for Fashion Photography. She serves as an external examiner for London College of Fashion and City of Liverpool College University Centre. Professional activities include vice-presidency of Fondazione Archivio Leonardi (since 2011), preserving the work of architect Cesare Leonardi, and consultancy for the European University Institute's EU Bordercare project.

Her work has been showcased in prestigious festivals like the Copenhagen Festival of Photography and published in catalogs such as Chez Toi and Il Dialogo Creativo. Awards include the ShutterHub Award (2018) and recognition in the Royal Photographic Society's International Exhibition (2017). Her practice bridges artistic vision with academic rigor, addressing contemporary socio-geographical challenges through photography.