Memo Center with Wall Plaque

c. 1975

Joanne Leonard

Associated Names
Joanne Leonard

Artist, American, born 1940

This grayscale photograph shows a wall from the interior of a house. Slightly above center is a white, wall-mounted phone with a coiled cord that hangs downward. Below the phone is a notepad with some faint words and numbers written on it, and below that is a calendar for November 1975. A decorative plaque with an inscription hangs to the left of the phone above a light switch decorated with white flowers. The wall behind these objects is white. On the right side are sheer drapes, while on the left another room is partially visible, displaying a lamp and the edges of other furniture pieces.
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Artwork overview

More About this Artwork

In this black-and-white photograph, five children sit closely together on a couch, reading different comic books and magazines. The comic books obscure the faces of the five children, and they appear absorbed in their reading. A sixth child who appears to be a young boy sits on the ground in front of the couch next to a coffee table piled high with dirty dishes and more comic books. His face is partially visible; he has light skin and dark hair, and he looks over his shoulder to the right. The children wear a variety of clothing with different patterns, including long-sleeved shirts, dresses, belts, and long pants. The wall behind the couch is light gray, with the edge of a framed photo visible at the top.

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Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Joanne Leonard, Ann Arbor, MI; gift to NGA, 2020.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

2025

  • The '70s Lens: Reimagining Documentary Photography: National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, October 6, 2024–April 6, 2025

Inscriptions

on verso, signed by artist, lower left in graphite: Joanne Leonard / JOANNE LEONARD; top left: x [illegible] / edge / mat; lower right: Memo Center / & Plaque


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