London Series
Leda’s ‘London Series’ is best seen in two parts: the works she produced in 1970, and the body of work that followed during her time in London in 1972.
The paintings of 1970 mark a distinct moment in her development. Under the influence of Cecily Sash, Leda engaged more directly with currents such as Op Art, geometric abstraction, and hard-edge painting. These works show a growing interest in structure, spatial tension, and the discipline of abstract form.
The paintings from this period use interlocking shapes, strong contrasts, and a controlled geometry. They show Leda working through a visual language shaped by modernist ideas, including the example of artists such as Piet Mondrian and Victor Vasarely.
This was also a period of major change in her personal life. The works belong to the same time as the final decree of her divorce, and to a wider period of personal transformation. That change is part of the background to the work, but the paintings do not need to be reduced to it.
The later London works of 1972 widened this body of work further. They belong to a period in which Leda was living in a different artistic environment and looking closely at European abstraction.
Some of the works in the ‘London Series’ also register contemporary events that had captured the public imagination. Among them is ‘Pulse’, a painting linked to the first heart transplant. Leda’s earlier work at the South African Institute of Medical Research gave this subject a particular resonance for her. The painting stands as one of the most distinctive works of the series.
The moon landings also found their way into this body of work. In three related paintings, Leda turned to abstract form and colour to register the visual drama and imaginative force of that event, rather than to describe it literally.
Leda was deeply drawn to the sharp geometry and abstract language of European modernism, and this found some of its clearest expression in the ‘London Series’.
In the first painting, the layered geometric forms and central yellow circle symbolize the landing itself, with the moon glowing against a backdrop of cool-toned hues, representing the mystery and allure of space.
The second painting, with its bold red and green hues and repetitive oval shapes, evokes the human footprint on the moon’s surface, capturing the structured precision of the Apollo missions.
The third painting, with its angular red and blue shapes against a deep blue background, conveys the dynamic energy and momentum of the space race, suggesting humanity’s relentless push to explore the unknown.
Leda was greatly inspired by exploring the sharp geometric forms and abstract works of prominent European artists such as Piet Mondrian and Victor Vasarely.
