Mark Leary is an award-winning visual artist, lecturer, and PhD researcher.
Implementing experimental photographic practices, Mark’s research interrogates the everyday, examining why the commonplace is often overlooked in favour of moments of grandeur. By reimagining the familiar, he explores whether a photograph’s subject can evoke reverie through association, or whether reverie arises from the way an image is presented.
His current research, ‘The Pull of the Tide’, investigates how lens-based ethnography can translate surfers’ sensorial, embodied, immersive experiences, and how its capacities and limitations might reshape understandings of embodiment in visual research.
Over the past fifteen years, Mark has exhibited widely at galleries and creative spaces, including The Photographers’ Gallery, London. He has spoken nationally about his practice and produced award-winning fine art images, films, advertising campaigns, design and editorial work, as well as two photographic art books: *Made in China* (2007) and *Salt+Wax* (2012).
Mark is a PhD researcher and module leader on the MA Photography (Online) at Arts University Bournemouth. He previously led the BA Photography programme at Bournemouth University. He holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Education and an MA in Photography, where his research explored individuals’ journeys and their desire for moments of solitude.
"With his unique colour palette and beautiful lighting, Mark creates a familiar, almost nostalgic feeling to his subject." Aine Donovan - Associate Producer, BBH London
"Mark's imagery is dreamlike. Whether it's magnificent snow-capped mountains or surfers at sunset, everything he shoots has a magical quality. His images convey universal concepts of wonder, adventure, exploration, living in the moment and mindfulness." Guy Merrill - Global Head of Art, Getty
Available for lectures on request.
Exhibitions include -
'Salt+Wax' retrospective solo exhibition - The Station Gallery, Frome [2024]
'Salt+Wax' retrospective solo exhibition - ROMA Gallery, Falmouth [2023]
‘Suddenly Last Summer’ group exhibition - Arts University Bournemouth [2019]
‘Lucid’ group exhibition - Arts University Bournemouth [2019]
'Undertaking' solo exhibition - Various galleries, London [2017-18]
'They Made This' group exhibition - Protein Studios, London [2017]
'Summer Art Show' group exhibition - Old Bakery Studio, Truro, Cornwall [2016]
'Getty 6x6' group exhibition - Getty Gallery, London [2015]
'Getty Gather' group talk & presentation - London [2014]
'They Made This' group exhibition - BBH Gallery, London [2014]
‘Retrospective’ solo exhibition - BBH Gallery, London [2014]
'Salt+Wax' solo exhibition - 71a Gallery, London [2012]
'Salt+Wax' solo exhibition - London Surf Film Festival, London [2012]
‘Fish Fry’ group exhibition - Coombe Barton, Cornwall [2011]
‘Black Dog’ group exhibition - AMV Gallery, London [2010]
'Made in China' book launch - The Photographers' Gallery, London [2008]
Publications include - Made in China [2007]; Salt+Wax [2012]
Awards include - AoP; Campaign Press & Poster; Cannes Lion; Cornwall Film Festival; Creative Circle; Creative Review; D&AD; IPA; London Surf Film Festival; One Show USA; Taylor Wessing...
Clients include - Ambrosia; Adidas; Avis; Barclaycard; Blacks Outdoor Specialist; British Airways; British Gas; British Telecom; Brother; Cadbury; Cornwall Pure Business; Creative Circle; Finisterre; FRANK; Google; The Guardian; Harper Collins; Hewlett Packard; HMRC; HUCK magazine; Kelly's Cornish Ice-cream; KFC; IKEA; LG; The London Surf Film Festival; Mastercard; Mute Records; Nike; O'Neill; 02; Orange; Panasonic; Penguin Books; Random House; RBS; Reebok; The Ride Journal; Saga; Scoot; Shell; Sony; The Surfer's Path; Syntegra; T-Mobile; Typhoo; Vans; Visa Commercial; World Trade Centre; Yacht Associates; Yahoo...
For print purchases/general enquiries -
+44 7875 423762
