Artist presentation
Angelo Leonardo
Angelo Leonardo was born in Reggio Calabria on August 22, 1994. He grew
up in Taranto, where he lived until he completed his classical high school
education in 2013. After graduating in Law in 2019, he then obtained a
prestigious scholarship to further his passion for photography at the John
Kaverdash Academy in Milan.
His commitment and dedication led him to be chosen as an assistant by
Luca Santese, a founding member of the Cesura photographic agency, an
experience that further enriched his professional background.
His first long-term project, titled "Le Monde Ou Rien," is a testimony to the
reality of young people living in the suburbs of Milan. Through a combination
of artistic sensitivity and social commitment, Angelo has been able to
capture the nuances of daily life in the neighborhoods, offering an intimate
look into their experiences.
The work has received prestigious awards such as the Emiliano Mancuso
Award from Officine Fotografiche and the Youth Award promoted by the
Lombardy Region. He has also been selected as a finalist in major contests
such as Urbanautica Institute Awards (IT), CRAF 2023 (IT), the Felix Schoeller
Award (DE), the XYZ Photo-book Grant (PT), the GOMMA Black and White
Grant (UK), and the ISPA Award (US).
Angelo Leonardo's works have found space in solo and group exhibitions in
Italy and Europe, including Fotohaus ParisBerlin in Boardeaux (FR), Les
rencontres d'Arles (FR), Chiasso Letteraria (CH), Frome Photo Festival (UK),
Felix Schoeller Foundation (DE), and Officine Fotografiche (IT). His art has
also been showcased through publications in high-profile magazines such as
the print weekly of Internazionale and the Gomma Book Black and White
Photography Grant (UK).
In 2021, together with Alex Zoboli and Hugo Weber, he founded a collective
called T-House, which in the following year collaborated with 10 photography
festivals worldwide for the creation of giant outdoor exhibitions.
In 2024, Angelo, together with the Social Cooperative Le Vele Onlus, creates
a new project: "Buono Come Il Pane" (Good as Bread). It tells the story of
the daily life of the 20 young residents of the high-protection psychiatric
community "La Nostra Locanda." The work was printed in the same year in a
fanzine, published in 300 copies.While in 2025 he is preparing to publish the book Le Monde Ou Rien,
published by Altana Club in a limited edition of 350 copies.
Alongside his authorial career, Angelo has established fruitful collaborations
with renowned brands and agencies, offering his talent as a photographer
and light designer for projects of commercial and creative relevance. Among
his collaborations are MondadoriMedia, CP Company, Motorola, The Vision,
Icebreaker, Pentagram, Lavazza, Ferrari, LaRinascente, Samsung, YOUX,
Krug, Zegna, Universal, and others.

Artist statement
My work stems from the urgency to offer an honest narrative of Italian suburbs, far from media
stereotypes. Le Monde Ou Rien is a visual investigation that began in 2020 and developed over four
years in Milan, in neighborhoods where marginality coexists with everyday forms of resistance,
affection, and belonging.
The project unfolded with the intention of documenting the full breadth of Milan's peripheral
districts, in order to portray a shared identity—both from an urbanistic and anthropological point of
view. I chose to photograph from within, by living the places and building relationships with the
people who inhabit them. The aim is to tell what is often ignored: the dynamics of community,
mixed identities, and underground cultures expressed through rap, sports, and fashion.
I work with a documentary approach rooted in direct experience, seeking a visual language that
combines truth and emotional engagement. In line with the intention to center those who are usually
only spoken about from the outside, the project was enriched by the paintings of Diego Guarino, a
nine-year-old child living in the outskirts of Quarto Oggiaro. His gaze offered an autonomous,
honest, and powerful perspective—capable of both completing and questioning my own.