Annie Leist’s artwork evokes the light, color, and life of public spaces from the perspective of a pedestrian with low vision. Originally from North Carolina, she currently lives and works in New York City.
Real Paintings marks Leist’s first solo exhibition in her home state since 2017. The exhibition includes fresh reflections on familiar elements of urban architecture, including revolving doors, crosswalks, and scaffolding.
The exhibition takes its name, however, from a brand new project exploring the tension between the world according to AI and the one created by the painter.
Annie Leist:
Annie Leist is an artist, originally from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, currently living and working in New York City.
Her work explores the light and life of urban spaces, as filtered by her unique perspective as a pedestrian with low vision. She has limited vision in her left eye and no vision in her right. In addition to her low visual acuity, she does not experience depth perception as afforded by stereo vision. This way of seeing impacts how she moves through the world, what she notices and remembers, and how she evokes public spaces in her paintings and other artwork.Her work can be seen in numerous collections across the US and internationally.
In parallel with her artistic career, Annie Leist is also an accessibility professional, currently working at The Museum of Modern Art in New York. She is a respected advocate and leader in making the arts and culture more welcoming for people with disabilities.
She lives and paints in Queens, New York, with her husband and a rotating clowder of cats.
Bloomberg Connects Gallery Guide:
Explore this exhibition and more with our digital gallery guide on Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app. Our guideshowcases our current and past exhibitions, includes audio description, and more! Use the app during your visit, at home, or anywhere, anytime!
Download the Bloomberg Connects app and search “Arts Access North Carolina” or visit our guide on your web browser.
Upcoming Events:
All events are free & open to the public!
- Opening Reception: Friday, October 3rd – 6pm to 9pm
- First Fridays: November 7 & December 5 – 6pm to 9pm
- Artist Talk with Annie Leist: Saturday, November 8 – 1pm to 2pm
Exhibition Details:
- Cost: Free
- Dates: On view October 3 – December 12, 2025
- Location: Arts Access Gallery, 444 S. Blount Suite 115B, Raleigh, NC 27601
- Hours: Friday from 2 pm to 6pm or by appointment
- Contact: 919-833-9919, Gallery@ArtsAccessInc.org