A Group Exhibition by Henry Leutwyler, Diana Markosian, and Kylie Shea
Featuring select, never-before-seen photos of Misty Copeland from her final performance
Leica Gallery New York is proud to present Ballet, a three-person exhibition featuring works by Henry Leutwyler, Diana Markosian, and Kylie Shea. Opening Thursday, February 19, 2026, with an artist reception from 6:00-8:00 PM, the exhibition will be on view through March 29, 2026. In a special gallery talk on Saturday, February 21, the three artists will be joined by world-renowned American ballet dancer Misty Copeland to discuss the physical and emotional realities of this artform and its documentation.
Ballet explores the discipline, vulnerability, and transcendence of dance through three distinct photographic practices, united by a shared devotion to movement as a form of human truth. From backstage intimacy and cultural legacy to self-examination and reinvention, the exhibition reveals ballet not as spectacle alone, but as lived experience — rigorous, ephemeral, and profoundly personal.
Henry Leutwyler | Misty Copeland’s Final BowFor more than four decades, Henry Leutwyler has photographed the world of dance from the inside — backstage, in rehearsal, and in moments of quiet reckoning. His work in Ballet centers on Misty Copeland, culminating in her final performance with American Ballet Theatre on October 22, 2025.
Leutwyler’s photographs are the result of a decades-long collaboration grounded in trust and friendship. Stripped of spectacle, the images reveal the emotional and physical toll of a historic career, capturing Copeland at a moment of closure and transformation. With his signature restraint and precision, Leutwyler documents not only a final bow, but the completion of a lifelong artistic circle — one that began with his own first encounter with ballet as a child and has unfolded through a career spent bearing witness to beauty, discipline, and vulnerability.
Diana Markosian | FantômesInspired by Victor Hugo’s Fantômes, Diana Markosian’s series offers an intimate and haunting glimpse into the Cuban National Ballet’s production of Giselle. First staged in Paris in 1841, Giselle tells the story of love, loss, and redemption — themes that resonate deeply within Cuba’s shifting cultural landscape.
In Fantômes, Markosian allows movement to blur and dissolve, resisting the frozen instant in favor of impermanence. Dancers hover between presence and disappearance, their forms emerging and receding in light and shadow. A former ballet dancer herself, Markosian brings a painterly sensitivity to the work, capturing the fragile endurance of a tradition shaped by both national pride and uncertainty. The resulting images feel spectral and tender — meditations on memory, decay, and the persistence of beauty.
Kylie Shea | Self-Portrait SeriesFor dancer and photographer Kylie Shea, movement is both subject and language. Her black-and-white self-portrait series, created using Leica cameras including the M Monochrom, SL3, and Q3 43, reflects a deeply personal exploration of identity, resilience, and artistic evolution.
Working across studio, natural, and lived environments, Shea occupies the dual role of dancer and documentarian. The images trace a visual diary formed during a period of profound transition — from classical stage to new creative terrain. Grace and grit coexist in these photographs, revealing the physical and emotional architecture behind a life in movement. Through Leica’s monochrome precision, Shea transforms the ephemeral nature of performance into enduring, introspective works.
Leica and the Art of MovementAcross all three practices, Leica plays a central role as both instrument and philosophy. Known for its unobtrusive design, optical clarity, and dedication to craftsmanship, Leica enables photographers to work with intimacy, patience, and trust — qualities essential to photographing dance. Ballet reflects Leica’s enduring commitment to visual storytelling that honors process, presence, and the decisive moment, whether on stage, backstage, or within the self.
Exhibition Programming
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Opening Reception
Thursday, February 19, 2026 | 6:00-8:00 PM
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Gallery Talk
Saturday, February 21, 2026 | 11:00 AM – 12:30 PMFeaturing Henry Leutwyler, Diana Markosian, Kylie Shea, and Misty Copeland
Exhibition Details
Leica Gallery New York
406 West 13th StreetNew York, NY 10014Tel: 332-222-1690
Exhibition Dates: February 19 – March 29, 2026
Gallery Hours:
Monday-Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PMSunday: 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM
For press inquiries and images, please contact:Nike Communications Inc.Email: leica@nikecomm.com
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