LEON GEORGE KESSLER PHOTOGRAPHER



SELECTED WORKS
COMMERCIAL WORK
ABOUT

Leon Kessler (b. 1996, Lausanne) is a photographer from Locarno, Switzerland.

Realizing at an early age that comfort, routine, and staying in one place can hinder personal growth, he chose to dedicate significant time to prolonged travels around the world. He seeks out remote and solitary places where he can spend time in isolation to get in touch with his introspective and subconscious side, but also values immersing himself in local cultures by connecting with the people he meets along the way; through these encounters, he tries to understand their lives, exchange knowledge, and share habits, fostering mutual growth and connection.

His photographic work primarily focuses on human vulnerability in harsh, desolate landscapes, using the camera to transcend linguistic, geographical, cultural, and social barriers. Making his way on his own through wild, challenging and hostile environments, he pushes both his physical and mental boundaries, entering altered states of consciousness. These intense experiences not only serve to enrich his artistic practice but also contribute to his personal development, allowing him to explore the depths of human experience and creativity. Through his work, he strives to capture moments and scenes that resonate with the collective unconscious, awakening the primal instincts and emotions that connect us all on a fundamental level. 

He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste and is currently based in Zürich.





Solo Exhibitions:
A River Flows Through Venom Valleys, 93, Basel, 2023

Group Exhibitions:
Fineally, Manegg, Zürich, 2021
Mykorrhiza, Toni Areal, Zürich, 2020
200 Jahre Odd Fellows, Zentrum Paul Klee, Bern, 2019
Vanishing Relations, Toni Areal, Zürich, 2019
In grond crap en miu curtgin, Casa Da Scola, Vuorz, 2019
Story/no story, Toni Areal, Zürich, 2018
Canapé 001: foga urbica, Spazio Elle, Locarno, 2018

Publications:
Weaving the Tangled Web, online publication, 2020
Where Flowers Bloom, Issue *1, Ticino, 2019

Prizes:
Third Prize, 200 Jahre Odd Fellows, Zentrum Paul Klee, Bern, 2019