With the COVID-19 pandemic limiting travelling once again, a new photo exhibit at the Stephen Bulger Gallery wants to provide some form of escapism and leisure.
“What we imagine is that the visitors that come into the gallery are experiencing the same longing and lust for exploration and travel,” said Robyn Zolnai, the Stephen Bulger Gallery’s Associate Director.
“We wanted to have the opportunity to show the new work … and to allow people to explore for some of the vast images we have.”
The exhibition is called Wanderlust: Around the World in 80 Photographs, a play on the classic novel by Jules Verne, “Around the World in 80 Days.”
Wanderlust features many black-and-white photos depicting travelling, drawn from photographers around the world, including represented by the gallery.
“It’s just nice to see photographs from around the world,” said Zolnai, “From different decades. From famous photographers, from unknown photographers. Vintage work, contemporary work. So really, a visual exploration.”
Rita Leistner collaborated with fellow photographer Don McKellar on a project to fill one of the gallery’s walls, a 17 foot by 10-foot space. They were told to “do whatever with it you want,” says Leistner.
“I had come up with a concept,” she said, “which was that I was going to give him [McKellar] a camera, and I was going to have a camera, and then we would both be photographing each other and the city, and documenting and creating some kind of artwork.”
Leistner hopes it helps visitors see Toronto as it was amid the pandemic.
“We hope that the project will resonate with people and touch people in ways that will make them remember this time and place,” she said, “but also speak beyond that in more allegorical ways about our humanity.”
In order to attend this exhibition, COVID safety protocols are still intact, like wearing masks, using hand sanitizer and social distancing from others.
You also need to book an appointment on their website.
Wanderlust: Around the World in 80 Photographs is on at the Stephen Bulger Gallery from Jan 29 to Feb 26.