I am going to some of the exhibits put on by the Scotiabank CONTACT Festival around town.
Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival is an annual event in May with well over 1500 Canadian and international artists and photographers exhibiting at more than 175 venues throughout the Greater Toronto Area. Founded as a not-for-profit organization in 1997, the Festival is now a charitable organization and presents a diverse range of programs throughout the community.
This post addresses the first of Edouard's exhibits on display. This was at Union Station rather hidden away in a corridor where passengers board their commuter trains.
In the early 2000s, the Archive of Modern Conflict Toronto acquired the photographs of amateur Canadian photographer Edouard LeBouthillier after his Polaroids were found discarded curbside in The Annex, a residential Toronto neighbourhood. Employing the medium of instant photography, LeBouthillier documented his life in Toronto throughout the 1970s and 1980s. From photo booth self-portraits and urban landscapes, to vignettes of his eclectic apartment, he meticulously annotated all of his images with exact times, dates, names, and locations. LeBouthillier also repeatedly photographed public attractions that were recently constructed at the time, such as the Eaton Centre, the CN Tower, and Nathan Phillips Square. These photographs document not only his personal travels, but also the transition of downtown Toronto from a grimy and underutilized urban centre into a modern metropolis.
LeBouthillier’s story unfolds in this two-part exhibition. A selection of his Polaroids documenting some of the city’s most recognizable landmarks are presented as large-scale images on the vitrine windows within Union Station’s VIA Rail concourse, a major access hub to the city. Positioned within this historic site, they act as a reminder of the city’s changing landscape as it currently goes through yet another major transformation.
Atop the CN Tower
At the CNE (Canadian National Exhibition)
Looking west from CN Tower, This is very interesting as we now live in a condo near the water.
In 1977 we were living in Montreal.
Old City Hall in the background.
New City Hall
Demolition of the Eaton store to make way for the Eaton Centre.
All photography on Junk Boat Travels are under copyright unless stated otherwise.
The poster above says the following:
In the early 2000s, the Archive of Modern Conflict Toronto acquired the photographs of amateur Canadian photographer Edouard LeBouthillier after his Polaroids were found discarded curbside in The Annex, a residential Toronto neighbourhood. Employing the medium of instant photography, LeBouthillier documented his life in Toronto throughout the 1970s and 1980s. From photo booth self-portraits and urban landscapes, to vignettes of his eclectic apartment, he meticulously annotated all of his images with exact times, dates, names, and locations. LeBouthillier also repeatedly photographed public attractions that were recently constructed at the time, such as the Eaton Centre, the CN Tower, and Nathan Phillips Square. These photographs document not only his personal travels, but also the transition of downtown Toronto from a grimy and underutilized urban centre into a modern metropolis.
LeBouthillier’s story unfolds in this two-part exhibition. A selection of his Polaroids documenting some of the city’s most recognizable landmarks are presented as large-scale images on the vitrine windows within Union Station’s VIA Rail concourse, a major access hub to the city. Positioned within this historic site, they act as a reminder of the city’s changing landscape as it currently goes through yet another major transformation.
Atop the CN Tower
At the CNE (Canadian National Exhibition)
Looking west from CN Tower, This is very interesting as we now live in a condo near the water.
In 1977 we were living in Montreal.
I had to find this photo we took from the CN Tower last summer of that same view.
Can you see the white arched bridge in the distance? That is our building just behind it.
Old City Hall in the background.
Demolition of the Eaton store to make way for the Eaton Centre.
All photography on Junk Boat Travels are under copyright unless stated otherwise.
I like those old shots. Have fun at the exhibit!
ReplyDeleteThis is history in the making. I always love old photos.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!!
Here is my SNAPSHOT POST
Awesome! And congrats on your exhibition.
ReplyDeleteWonderful shots! There was always something about Polaroids....thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThat looks like an amazing exhibit. I especially enjoyed the before-and-after shots of the same view. Thank heavens someone picked up those photos from the roadside!
ReplyDeleteMy Saturday Snapshot post is HERE.
Jackie, Glad you found an exhibit that sparked some good memories.
ReplyDeleteLove those older pics!
ReplyDelete