Leonor Anthony is a Miami-based artist and activist with a diverse range of talents. Originally from Havana, Cuba, she moved to the United States with her family at a young age. Along with being an accredited scholar, Anthony is also a skilled artist, photographer, and published author. Her work is particularly noteworthy for its bold use of materials and its focus on tackling controversial topics.
Anthony is recognized for using art as a vehicle of activism. One example: Anthony has gathered approximately 30,000 previously worn bras from women of diverse ethnic backgrounds from all over the globe. She uses the bras in various projects to promote unity and empowerment for women. A significant portion of the collected bras, around 800, were donated by cancer survivors. The project centers on the idea of connecting women from all over the world by linking their bras to form a chain around the planet, as a means of showing support for women.
Anthony was awarded The Arctic Circle Fellowship in October 2022, which granted her the opportunity to join a group of 27 fellow artists and scientists on a unique ecological Artist Residency around the North Pole. The immersive experience left a lasting impression on Anthony and inspired her to embark on a new project – creating her first full-length documentary film titled “Ice Breaking.” In addition, Anthony is collaborating with fellow artist and photographer Roberto Polillo (b.1946) on a book of poetry called “Arctic Visions: Poetry and Images from a Changing Landscape.”
Since Anthony has always lived in the tropics, she had to learn how to keep warm in the Arctic. She also had to learn how to survive in inclement Arctic weather with major waves.
Watch the entire engaging video conversation with Leonor Anthony on the website of our sister publication, ArtSpeak.
