PRISONERS PROJECT

My buddy Brett Gundlock was arrested, roughed up and jailed by the
Powers That Be during the Toronto G20 protests….just for going about
his job as a National Post fotografer.

Brett getting arrested

He later tracked down other innocent bystanders who were swept up in
that Great Overreaction, photographed them, took statements.

From: The Prisoners Project. © Brett Gundlock, 2010

This work will be exhibited in Toronto this coming March and he’s trying
to raise some funds to help defray the exhibition costs.

(Brett emailed me to say that he has already reached his funding goal. But
you can click on these links anyway, if you feel like it.)

If you are interested in helping go here.

Brett’s website is here.

Boreal Collective is here.

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KATY GRANNAN

Every so often I bump into some work that blows me away, totally
humbles me. Katy Grannan’s BOULEVARD does just that.

© Katy Grannan

Simple yet complex. Quiet but impossible to ignore. Politics and
observation. Engagement, engaging…..

© Katy Grannan

Go here for more.

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MAGIDA EL-KASSIS

One of the things about Ottawa that kind of irks me is the
fact that, even though there are 3 or 4 foto-skools here,
there seems to be so few young fotografers in the city
working hard, making shit happen, being modern and
wearing their politics (or their hearts) on their sleeves.
Getting it together, creating and disseminating bodies
of personal work.

That’s not to say this city is a foto-vacuum…..all the usual
suspects (you know who you are) are hard at it and every
so often some new face makes a dent.

Magida El-Kassis, self portrait

Recent SPAO grad Magida El-Kassis is one of those new faces.
Recently she was chosen by Photo Boite for their 30 UNDER 30
thingy….that would be 30 women fotografers who are under
the age of 30.

Being a recent grad, Magida’s work is a mixed bag; after all, that’s
the job of someone starting out and not a bad thing. I liken it to
finding a wardrobe. You have to try on on a whole bunch of clothes.
You keep the bits that fit and suit and throw the rest away. But the
only way to find out is to try shit on. Through this process Magida’s
sense and sensibility come through.

Notebook. © Magida El-Kassis, 2010

Two images from a series of fotos of her father’s belongings, 2011. ©Magida El-Kassis

Her blog, re.flect, (which she publishes with her sister Samira) is
kept current and shows work in progress, one-offs, experiments
and so on. And that always gets full points in drool-land.

30 UNDER 30 here.

re.flect, the blog.

Magida’s website.

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STEPHANIE

Stephanie, January 19, 2011

I found Stephanie this past Wednesday. We agreed to meet up
later in the day to get some running around out of the way…..

Stephanie and me, later

First stop was a Shoppers Drug Mart, where Steph got an Optimum
Card. Besides her Birth Certificate and Proof of Residency, she need-
ed some “official” card with her signature on it before she could get
her health card…..

Steph filling out form and getting Optimum Card, Shoppers Drug Mart

Once we got that we headed over to Service Ontario where she would
get her health card…..

Stephanie, underground and above ground, waiting, Service Ontario

Went without a hitch. Steph now has a temporary OHIP document. Her
official foto-ID health card will come in the mail in a few weeks.

Feels like a victory. Now the hard part begins…..getting into rehab.

Stephanie, January 19, 2011

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STEPHANIE INTERVIEWS ME