ALESSANDRA LETA
Born in Milan, 1997, Alessandra Leta is a research-based artist. Through the reworking of archival images, photographic staging, and elements of fiction, her artistic practice intersects digital archaeology and speculative storytelling as tools for rethinking the past into the present. She is currently based between the French Alsace and Switzerland.
She also works as a commercial photographer.
PROJECTS
The Unmovable Mover (2022-2024)
A Sudden Unspeakable Sweat (2024-ongoing)
Docile Flesh: Eye, Mouth, and Sugar (ongoing)
CV
CONTACT
hello@alessandraleta.com
instagram
+41 77 814 XX XX
ATELIER
Unterdessen
Schanzenstrasse 13
CH-4056 Basel
DOCILE FLESH: EYE, MOUTH, AND SUGAR (ongoing)
What is the relationship between photography and the act of
capturing? How does the impulse to collect echo the practices of
hunting? Docile Flash: Eye, Mouth, and Sugar explores these
questions through the lens of an unusual crime story.
At its center is
a Swiss man whose lifelong fascination with birds led him to commit
a remarkable theft: over a decade, he plucked away more thank 17
thousands feather from 167 species across various European Natural
History Museums. Disguised as an expert ornithologist, he
befriended museum staff to gain access to valuable archives, where he
discreetely committed his crimes. His methodical approach went
unnoticed for years, resulting in significant scientific and financial
losses.
Divided into distinct acts, the series wants to reflect on seeing,
collecting, hunting and displaying – all practics deeply rooted in
colonial legacies. At the heart of this project lies an exploration of
the language and gestures common to both photography and
hunting, both imbued with an underlying violence. This relationship
raises questions about possession and admiration, particularly in the
context of colonial histories where both were employed to assert
control and dominate the “other”.
The series employs
photojournalism, forensic photography, and reenactment to explore
themes of representation, truth, and the entanglements of science
and imperialism. It also critiques the role of Natural History
Museums as institutions preserving knowledge and cultural values.