TORONTO
MAY 1 - 31, 2007

May is photography month in Toronto. CONTACT Photography Festival presents its 11th year with a host of programs and exhibitions that promise to visually energize the city. This year’s theme is The Constructed Image.

For the CONTACT website, click HERE

VoCA’s must-see events for the opening week of CONTACT 2007:

1. Wednesday May 2

DROP-IN PORTFOLIO REVIEWS FOR ARTISTS
WADDINGTON’S, 111 BATHURST ST.
10AM
$35 PER 20 MINUTE SESSION
CASH ONLY

A portfolio review. Image: Marymount.edu

Curators, art dealers, directors, publishers and photo editors provide one-on-one critiques for established and emerging photographers in commercial or fine-art photography.

Participants receive a print of their work and are included in the Portfolio Reviews exhibition, which is voted on by the public.

Note to artists: Please ensure that you bring a disc of your scanned image along with images from your portfolio. In order to register, participants must have two of the following: published work within the last 2 years; exhibited work within the last 2 years; maintain a functioning website; or have a formal education in art and/or photography from a recognized post secondary institution.

2. Friday, May 4th

THE MAGNUM PHOTOGRAPHER LECTURES
1 PM JIM GOLDBERT
3 PM ELI REED
WADDINGTON’S, 111 BATHURST ST.
FREE

Eli Reed, 2001. Jumping boys known as “The Lost Boys of Sudan,” at the United Naitons refugee camp Kakuma in northern Kenya. Image: utexas.edu

Jim Goldberg, Portland Oregon, 2000. Image: todayspictures.slate.com

“Magnum is a community of thought, a shared human quality, a curiosity about what is going on in the world, a respect for what is going on and a desire to transcribe it visually.” -Henri Cartier-Bresson

Documentary photographers from the renowned photo agency share their perspectives.

3. Saturday, May 5th

THE MAGNUM PHOTOGRAPHER LECTURES
3:30 PM SUSAN MEISELAS
WADDINGTON’S, 111 BATHURST ST.
FREE

Susan Meiselas, Between Shows, Freyburg, Maine (Carnival Strippers Series), 1975. Image: singergallery.com

4. Saturday, May 5th

FILMS BY NICK AND SHEILA PYE
CAMERA SCREENING ROOM
1028 QUEEN ST. W
1 PM
(CONTINUING EVERY SATURDAY IN MAY AT 1 PM)

Malaise, deceit, perpetual tug-of-war – they are all part of a vigorous marriage. Or so we infer from the recent work of Nicholas and Sheila Pye, a married couple of six years whose This married artist-couple often explores the psychological minefield of committed relations in their work. Films include A Life of Errors, The Arsonist, The Wall, Untitled and The Lesson.

5. Saturday, May 5th

ARTIST TALK - CARLOS AND JASON SANCHEZ
MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY CANADIAN ART
952 QUEEN STREET WEST
6 PM
FREE

Carlos and Jason Sanchez, Overflowing Sink, 2002. Image: thesanchezbrothers.com

Since graduating from Concordia in 2001, the Sanchez Brothers have become rising Canadian photographic stars with their noir-ish imagery. They will speak about their fascinating public installation Between Life and Death.

6. Saturday, May 5th

THE CONSTRUCTED IMAGE: PHOTOGRAPHIC CULTURE
EXHIBITION OPENING
MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY CANADIAN ART
952 QUEEN STREET WEST
7 – 10PM

Thomas Demand, Gate, 2004. Image: Time-blog.com

MoCCA illustrates its mandate to provide a global context for contemporary Canadian artists with this show. Nine artist’s work from various countries hangs alongside work by Canada’s photoconceptualist Scott McFarland to expose the constructed image.