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will feature a curated selection of Koffler.Digital artist projects and publications, Koffler Gallery exhibitions and online gallery publications, features on recent community-engaged programs, as well as podcasts of past Books & Ideas events, talks and discussions.
Dear Koffler Friends,
It’s been a special week for myself and Youth Leaders from
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. We launched our photography project,
Still Lives, which showcases 12 visual diaries that speak to the everyday experiences of living life with disabilities during the pandemic.
Over the past few months, I’ve had the privilege of sharing my knowledge of photography with Youth Leaders via Zoom. On Saturday afternoons, we’d begin with a group critique of in-progress work, followed by a photography lesson and a weekly assignment – much of which was drawn from my darkroom days at the University of Saskatchewan.
Participants started with the basics – light, colour, space, point of view and depth of focus. And from there, began to explore the different genres – portraiture, still life, landscape and tableau. Youth Leaders incorporated an array of imagery in their visual diaries, in hopes of reflecting the diverse experiences lived by individuals with varying abilities.
I’m proud of what we accomplished in this project and I’m grateful for what the Youth Leaders have shared. My only wish is that we could have shot with film. As my favourite Ryerson professor, Iain Cameron, always said, “should have shot 4x5.”
Enjoy the work!
Still Lives: Visual Diaries by Youth Leaders of Holland Bloorview’s Youth Advisory Council
Mary Anderson
Manager, Literary & Public Programs