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PhotoSensitive (organization)

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PhotoSensitive
Company typeNonprofit organization
Founded1990
FounderAndrew Stawicki
Peter Robertson
Headquarters
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Area served
Canada
Key people
Andrew Stawicki, Founding Photographer
Websitehttp://www.photosensitive.com

PhotoSensitive is a Canadian nonprofit collective with the goal of spreading social awareness through black-and-white photography. Based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, it was founded by Toronto Star photographer Andrew Stawicki and Toronto Star photo editor Peter Robertson.[1] PhotoSensitive has raised funds for various charities, including donations to Daily Bread Food Bank and The Hospital for Sick Children.[2] More than 100 Canadian professional and amateur photographers have participated in PhotoSensitive projects.[3][4] In 2010, PhotoSensitive celebrated their 20-year anniversary.[2] In 2018, founder Stawicki was awarded the Meritorious Service Cross [5] (civil division) by the Governor General of Canada for his work on this project.

Exhibits

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Overview

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Name Premiere
It's In Their Eyes 1990-1992
Precious Time 1994
Hand of Hope 1995
Them = Us 1997
Braille = Equality 2000
Child Poverty: A National Disgrace 1999-2000
HIV Positive 2002
Destination Toronto 2004
Life of Water 2004-2005
Beyond the Wave 2005
Summer of Hope 2005
AIDS: Picture Change 2005-2006
The Strength Within 2007
Vibrant Communities in Focus 2007
Living With 2007-2008
Inspiring Possibilities 2009
Cancer Connections 2008-2010
TIEd Together 2011
The Fuel of Life 2011
Kids Who Can 2012
Picture Change 2013

It's In Their Eyes

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PhotoSensitive's first project, It's In Their Eyes, started in 1990 focused on Toronto's hungry, homeless and under-housed population. Twelve photographers in partnership with Daily Bread Food Bank created a photo essay that documented the people Daily Bread served.[6] The exhibit launched on April 5, 1992.[7]

Precious Time

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The next project, Precious Time, was a partnership between PhotoSensitive and The Hospital for Sick Children.[8] SickKids Hospital gave PhotoSensitive's twelve members 24-hour access to the hospital for eight months.[9][10] The 120 photo exhibit was launched in 1994 with the goal to raise money for SickKids' Herbie Fund.[11]

Them = Us

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Launched in 1997,[12] Them = Us was organized by the Harmony Movement,[13] and curated by Vancouver-based artist Tom Graff.[14] PhotoSensitive invited twelve new photographers to the collective.[15] Them = Us was PhotoSensitive's first nationwide project. The National Movement for Harmony in Canada published a Them = Us photo book titled Harmony in 1998.

In 2008, Them = Us was exhibited at the Canadian Association of Statutory Human Rights Agencies annual conference.

Braille = Equality

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Braille = Equality was created in 2000 in a partnership between PhotoSensitive and the CNIB (the Canadian National Institute for the Blind).[16] It was launched on February 9, 2000 on Parliament Hill.[17] Since its launch, Braille = Equality has been shown across Canada, in the United States and in Melbourne, Australia.[16]

Child Poverty: A National Disgrace

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Starting in 2000, Child Poverty: A National Disgrace was a partnership between PhotoSensitive and Campaign 2000 in response to rising child poverty in Canada.[18] The exhibit of 70 images by 24 photographers launched on November 26, 2001.[19]

Destination Toronto

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In response to Toronto's outbreak of SARS, PhotoSensitive documented the vibrance of the city as Destination Toronto.[20] David Miller and James Bartleman launched in the Brookfield Place in February, 2004.[21]

Life of Water

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Life of Water was the first exhibit to be launched with a book.[22] PhotoSensitive sought to document the entirety of water's impact on Canadians. PhotoSensitive invited photographers from across Canada to start shooting for Life of Water in 2004.[23] The Brookfield Place was launched by David Ramsay, former Canadian Minister of Natural Resources, and saw 160 black-and-white photographs on September 7, 2005.[24] The Life of Water book contains an essay by David Suzuki.[25]

Summer of Hope

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During the summer of 2005, James Bartleman, former Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, launched reading camps in five First Nations communities—North Caribou Lake, Kingfisher Lake, Muskrat Dam, Neskantaga and Fort Albany.[26]—to fight high youth suicide rates.[27] James Bartleman secured a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation for PhotoSensitive to document the Summer of Hope

Vibrant Communities in Focus

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Created in 2007, Vibrant Communities in Focus celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Ontario Trillium Foundation.[28] Twenty-seven photographers visited twenty-seven of the Trillium Foundation's most successful agencies and non-profit organizations from across Ontario.[29] Vibrant Communities in Focus exhibition was opened in Toronto and then traveled across Ontario.

Living With

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On Tuesday 4, December 2007 seven PhotoSensitive photographers left to spend ten days in Rwanda to shed light on the state of HIV/AIDS in the country.[30] Living With is the collective's third international project and was in partnership with Carleton University and the National University of Rwanda.[31] The 50 photo exhibit launched in Brookfield Place on July 22, 2008.[32]

Cancer Connections

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Started in early 2008, Cancer Connections was shot by PhotoSensitive in partnership with the Canadian Cancer Society and dedicated to June Callwood.[33] The project called for submissions from not only photographers, but ordinary Canadians that had a story to tell.[34] Cancer Connections contained 1,000 photos from all walks a life across Canada.[35] Cancer Connections launched on May 20, 2008 in Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto, Ontario.[4] The final national show was held on June 10, 2010 in Major's Hill Park, Ottawa, Ontario.[35]

TIEd Together

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PhotoSensitive partnered with Prostate Cancer Canada to create TIEd Together to raise awareness for prostate cancer.[36] The exhibit featured photographs of men who were fighting or who had survived prostate cancer, including Jack Layton.[37]

Kids Who Can

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Over the summer of 2011, PhotoSensitive partnered with Easter Seals (Canada) to capture the experiences of children with disabilities.[38] For Kids Who Can, PhotoSensitive had twenty-five photographers on assignment to twelve Easter Seals camps.[39] The tour was launched on June 18, 2012 at the Mic Mac Mall, Halifax, Canada.[40]

Picture Change

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Launched on July 16, 2013 at the Royal Bank Plaza, Picture Change began in 2012,[41] and is the collection of images chosen by the photographers that involved social change.[42] PhotoSensitive sent an invitation to over 100 top Canadian photographers to create the exhibit, including Doug Ball, Peter Martin and Paul Watson.[43] A Picture Change book was published accompanying the opening. It is currently touring Toronto, Canada.[42]

Publications

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  • Precious Time (1995, PhotoSensitive; ISBN 1-896465-00-5)
  • Harmony (1998, Macmillan Canada; ISBN 0-7715-7632-3)
  • PhotoSensitive Ten Years: A work in progress (2000, PhotoSensitive; ISBN 09687061-0-X)
  • Life of Water (2005, PhotoSensitive; ISBN 0-9687061-1-8)
  • Vibrant Communities in Focus (2007,PhotoSensitive; ISBN 978-0-9687061-2-1)
  • Inspiring Possibilities (2009, PhotoSensitive; ISBN 978-09687061-3-8)
  • Field of Vision (2010, PhotoSensitive; ISBN 978-0-9687061-4-5)
  • Cancer Connections (2011, John Wiley & Sons Canada; ISBN 978-0-470-96449-1)
  • Picture Change (2013, PhotoSensitive)

References

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  1. ^ Quinn, Mark (1994). "Just what was seen". Family Practice. 6 (29): 2, 45–6.
  2. ^ a b Holden, Alfred (12 September 2010). "The camera as a catalyst for social change". Toronto Star. Retrieved August 12, 2013.
  3. ^ "Photo Gallery: The Fuel of life exhibit, by PhotoSensitive". Toronto Star. 28 November 2011. Archived from the original on 25 August 2013. Retrieved August 12, 2013.
  4. ^ a b Kopun, Francine (17 May 2008). "The healing lens". Toronto Star. pp. ID1, ID4.
  5. ^ "Presentation of Honours in Toronto (2018)". gg.ca. 20 September 2017. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  6. ^ Campbell, Alannah (2010). Field of View. Mississauga: PhotoSensitive. p. 10. ISBN 978-0-9687061-4-5.
  7. ^ "In Search of Dignity". Toronto Sun. 5 April 1992. pp. 8–9.
  8. ^ Campbell, Alannah (2010). Field of View. Mississauga: PhotoSensitive. p. 18. ISBN 978-0-9687061-4-5.
  9. ^ "Anxious moments for a father". Toronto Star. 9 October 1994. p. A1.
  10. ^ Brooke, Jeff. "PhotoSensitive". News Views. 21 (4). Eastern Canadian News Photographers Association: 12.
  11. ^ Brooke, Jeff. "PhotoSensitive". News Views. 21 (4). Eastern Canadian News Photographers Association: 11–13.
  12. ^ Callwood, June (1998). Harmony. Toronto: The Harmony Movement & MacMillan Canada. p. x. ISBN 0-7715-7632-3.
  13. ^ "How we get along". Toronto Star. 30 November 1997. pp. F4–5.
  14. ^ "Them = Us Project". Harmony Movement. 2012. Archived from the original on 24 September 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  15. ^ Campbell, Alannah (2010). Field of View. Mississauga: PhotoSensitive. p. 36. ISBN 978-0-9687061-4-5.
  16. ^ a b Campbell, Alannah (2010). Field of View. Mississauga: PhotoSensitive. p. 46. ISBN 978-0-9687061-4-5.
  17. ^ "The dots that open doors". Toronto Star. 5 February 2000. p. H5.
  18. ^ Dunfield, Allison (27 November 2001). "In 1989 we were one in seven living in poverty. Now we're at almost one in five". Globe and Mail.
  19. ^ Eaton, Vena (25 November 2001). "Poverty's Children". Toronto Sun. pp. 52–3.
  20. ^ Campbell, Alannah (2010). Field of View. Mississauga: PhotoSensitive. p. 76. ISBN 978-0-9687061-4-5.
  21. ^ Hamilton, Tyler (2 February 2004). "Picture perfect view of Toronto". Toronto Star. p. B2.
  22. ^ Campbell, Alannah (2010). Field of View. Mississauga: PhotoSensitive. p. 86. ISBN 978-0-9687061-4-5.
  23. ^ Grice, Samantha (7 September 2005). "Liquid Assets". National Post. Toronto. pp. AL8.
  24. ^ Teotonio, Isabel (7 September 2005). "Liquid assets: a portrait". Toronto Star. p. B2.
  25. ^ Campbell, Alannah (2005). Life of Water. Mississauga: PhotoSensitive. pp. 74–5, 140. ISBN 0-9687061-1-8.
  26. ^ Campbell, Alannah (2010). Field of View. Mississauga: PhotoSensitive. p. 104. ISBN 978-0-9687061-4-5.
  27. ^ Brown, Louise (8 April 2005). "A boon for native schools". Toronto Star. p. B5.
  28. ^ Campbell, Alannah (2010). Field of View. Mississauga: PhotoSensitive. p. 134. ISBN 978-0-9687061-4-5.
  29. ^ Vibrant Communities. Mississauga: PhotoSensitive. 2007. p. 5. ISBN 978-0-9687061-2-1.
  30. ^ Mathieu, Emily (2 December 2007). "Photographers to focus on Rwanda". Toronto Star.
  31. ^ Campbell, Alannah (2010). Field of View. Mississauga: PhotoSensitive. p. 144. ISBN 978-0-9687061-4-5.
  32. ^ Loriggio, Paola (22 July 2008). "Remains of Rwanda's genocide". Toronto Star. p. AA1.
  33. ^ Campbell, Alannah (2010). Field of View. Mississauga: PhotoSensitive. p. 164. ISBN 978-0-9687061-4-5.
  34. ^ Burns, James (2011). Cancer Connections. Mississauga: John Wiley & Sons Canada. p. 8. ISBN 978-0-470-96449-1.
  35. ^ a b Zerbisias, Antonia (30 May 2008). "Cancer A thousand perspectives". Toronto Star. pp. A8, A9.
  36. ^ "TIEd Together". PhotoSensitive. 2010. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  37. ^ "Avenues". National Post. Toronto. 10 January 2012. pp. AL8.
  38. ^ Pearce, Tralee (27 February 2012). "Scenes from the 'Best Camp in the World'". The Globe of Mail. Toronto. p. L5.
  39. ^ "The power of pictures". Toronto Star. 25 February 2012. p. IN4–5.
  40. ^ "Kids Who Can". Easter Seals. 5 June 2012. Retrieved 8 August 2013.[permanent dead link]
  41. ^ "PhotoSensitive – Picture Change". News Photographers Association of Canada. 14 November 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  42. ^ a b "Picture change". Toronto Star. 20 July 2013. pp. WD7.
  43. ^ Bregg, Peter (24 July 2013). "Picture Change exhibit features 100 of the best photos from Canada's top photographers". J-Source. Canadian Journalism Project. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
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