The Leaky Collection - Philip and Katy Leakey, the son and daughter-in-law of esteemed British anthropologists Louis and Mary Leakey,  founded The Leakey Collection in 2002 to highlight the traditional hand-crafted artistry of the Maasai people in Kenya, all while maintaining strict Fair Trade and environmentally-conscious standards.  The art of the Maasai is quite unlike anything we have here at La Galleria - pieces are made from sustainable grass, fallen wood, and even what the Leakey’s call “bush-fired” porcelain, and so “The Leakey Collection protects the environment while giving economic opportunity to local communities in Kenya”.

Katy and Philip Leakey are well-known throughout Kenya for their political and activist work, and are “dedicated to uniting caring communities worldwide with the rural women in East Africa by using commerce as a vehicle”.  Their goal is “to enhance people’s lives by creating work opportunity for the Maasai in an environmentally-friendly, sustainable way while maintaining cultural and traditional lifestyles”.  And by all accounts, they’ve been very successful!

‘Unique’ and ‘exotic’ may describe many of the artists or collections we feature at La Galleria, but it is rare to find owners who are so invested in maintaining the interests and indigenous culture of local communities, who have dedicated such a large portion of their lives to serving others.  It is with great humility that we present the work of The Leakey Collection, remarkable work that has traveled halfway around the world to be enjoyed and to have its story told.