The trio takes its name from Operation Long Leash, a recently declassified CIA operation designed to promote the work of American avant-garde artists in Europe during the Cold War. The operation intended to subvert the Soviet system of artistic sanctions and government censorship by promoting America as a beacon of cultural enlightenment and intellectual freedom for experimental artists. The operation’s secrecy maintained a “long leash” at both ends, sidestepping the hostility in Washington toward the avant-garde, while preserving the integrity and independence of establishment-averse artists. Recognizing the many meanings of this phrase, Longleash appreciates its inherent artistic value: to encourage the desire to wander and roam.