Leslie Nicoles
Leslie Nichols creates portraits that honour women whose contributions are often overlooked but profoundly impactful.
Her subjects are advocates, educators, and changemakers. Women who have expanded access to public services, education, and opportunity. Working with a manual typewriter, Nichols constructs each image from layers of text drawn from interviews, essays, and poetry, allowing the subject’s own words to shape their likeness.
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Elizabeth Fallaize was a pioneering academic and advocate for gender equality, serving as the first female Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Oxford. Her work in French studies was matched by her commitment to expanding opportunities for women within academia and beyond. Fallaize played a key role in shaping institutional policies that promoted inclusivity, and her legacy continues to influence how knowledge is shared, accessed, and valued across disciplines.
At Oxford North, Leslie Nichols’ work sits alongside the portrait of Elizabeth Fallaize, creating a powerful dialogue between artistic practice and lived legacy. While Nichols did not create Fallaize’s portrait, her text-based approach to amplifying women’s voices mirrors Fallaize’s lifelong dedication to advocacy, education, and gender equality. Together, their presence in the space underscores the importance of visibility, dialogue, and community in shaping more inclusive futures.
