Book about Canadian art Photography

[Kodiak]

Canadian creative (art if you like) Photography is distinctive and different from USA fundamentally. It has very clear definition and is outlined in only one published book.

However, majority of Canadian Photographers practice Photography as it is defined in USA (documentary, straight Photography, ...), and I think, the largest reason is that there are large number of easy to access books about USA art photography and many are promoted in various ways (books with their work, TV, socializing, Museums and Galleries, ...).

Hard to access “what is Canadian Photography” and other related problems makes many to say we have no distinctive culture and tradition, even Canadian-government pushing that way too.

QUESTION: do anyone knows any book about CANADIAN “art” Photography, other than Jeff Wall. I would like with group of artists, but nothing on google is coming out

 

[jeffreyg]

I don't know of a book you are looking for but I do know a really excellent Canadian photographer Craig Richards from Canmore. I have his books and a print. A number of years ago I had the pleasure of having him as a house guest. Check him out on the internet.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

http://www.sculptureandphotography

 

[jtk]

Canadian creative (art if you like) Photography is distinctive and different from USA fundamentally. It has very clear definition and is outlined in only one published book.

However, majority of Canadian Photographers practice Photography as it is defined in USA (documentary, straight Photography, ...), and I think, the largest reason is that there are large number of easy to access books about USA art photography and many are promoted in various ways (books with their work, TV, socializing, Museums and Galleries, ...).

Hard to access “what is Canadian Photography” and other related problems makes many to say we have no distinctive culture and tradition, even Canadian-government pushing that way too.

QUESTION: do anyone knows any book about CANADIAN “art” Photography, other than Jeff Wall. I would like with group of artists, but nothing on google is coming out

Why, given the vast cultural differences between Canadian provinces, would you assert there's such a thing as "Canadian Photography" ?

 

[cowanw]

George Steeves is a Easterner and an art photographer.
http://moisdelaphoto.com/en/artistes/george-steeves/

 

[cowanw]

Bob Carnie might pipe in. He certainly is a strong supporter of local talent.

 

[Luckless]

I'm rather curious as to what the difference between "American" photography, and "Canadian" photography would be. They are both hugely broad regions, both geographically and culturally, and I'm not sure how you would begin to identify aspects from either nation as being overly distinct from how things evolved elsewhere in the world.

My work here on the west coast seems to be evolving in different forms and styles than what I was using back east. (Will be interesting to see how my styles compare if I take a few months back in Atlantic Canada a decade from now.)

 

[jtk]

Maybe theres a "Central American/Mexican" photography. Indigenous/Latin blood, Roman Catholic issues?

 

[MattKing]

I've no doubt that there are distinct regional trends in Canadian photography, and those trends are different than the trends that manifest themselves at different locations outside of Canada.
I would be interested though if if someone put together something that illustrates those trends.

 

[Oren Grad]

For a start, you might try this:

http://www.shopngc.ca/boutique/en/iphotography-in-canada-19602000-i-en.html

 

[DREW WILEY]

I didn't know our northern border was so strictly enforced. I welcome "regional" trends; but I doubt that in this day and age of instant communication, anything like that is likely to last for long. I've met artists from very different parts of this country, and after awhile they all pass out and all see nothing in exactly the same manner. Didn't matter where the booze was actually made.

 

[jtk]

This probably illustrates how unlikely it is that there's a proper book about regional art in Canada (or the US, for that matter): https://www.amazon.com/Canadian-Art...ormat=strip&impressionTimestamp=1548123090526

" Newlands transcends categories such as time, place, and medium. Inuit and other First Nation artists stand beside artists of European descent, just as figurative works balance abstractions, and the new clarifies the old. Each and every evocative and masterful work is redolent of Canada's magnificent landscape and sensitive to the tenuousness of human life. Each double-page spread both vibrates with contrasting styles and creates surprising and affective formal and emotional harmonies. These diverse paintings, photographs, and sculptures chart a vital and many-splendored visual heritage. Donna Seaman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Note: seemingly no reference to Canada's longtime Japanese ethnic population in Vancouver or Africans and sub-continental asians everywhere.

 

[Kilgallb]

I experience more culture shock going from Alberta to Toronto than going from Alberta to Los Angeles. The idea Canadian art is a homogenious entity is as rediculous as saying art in the USA is all the same..

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I experience more culture shock going from Alberta to Toronto than going from Alberta to Los Angeles. The idea Canadian art is a homogenious entity is as rediculous as saying art in the USA is all the same..

How can there be more culture shock going to Toronto, than to LA? I find that very hard to grasp... Maybe from small town Quebec... or Nunavut.

 

[MattKing]

I experience more culture shock going from Alberta to Toronto than going from Alberta to Los Angeles. The idea Canadian art is a homogenious entity is as rediculous as saying art in the USA is all the same..

There is culture in Alberta and Toronto?
(ducks and runs)

 

[Ko.Fe.]

How can there be more culture shock going to Toronto, than to LA? I find that very hard to grasp... Maybe from small town Quebec... or Nunavut.

Toronto and some parts of GTA are different. Same for LA. Different cultures.

 

[Kodiak]

Yes, Canada is a huge land. Many immigrants from around the World are dispersed along. This makes a question who (or which) are actually Canadian photographers. This question is valid, it does not makes things difficult, and there is clear answer to that question too. It is a large difference in “art” in Nunavut and Ontario, BUT it does not means there is no unique or Canadian approach. Both approaches are just Canadian. The same is for Labrador, ... Canadian art Photography is not only one genre, as no nation has only one genre. We have so many Photographers working within Documentary-straight Photography, wedding Photography, ... but it is not what we accept as Canadian art Photography.

Dutch painters practised Landscape, Portraiture, Still-Life, .. and so many diversities were within each genre, and all together defined Dutch art (e.g. Vermeer painted Still-Life with people, while P. Claesz pained vanitas Still-Life which is very different way, and both were Dutch art).

And J. Szarkowski was quite wrong on that matter too, when he said in Montreal we have no culture nor art. He just did not find it for he dig there where no oil is for Canadian is so different than in US art photography.

Art Galleries in Toronto hard way accept Photographs, and those showing Photographs mostly actually do not understand what they are doing. Just a try to make decent money. Ottawa National Gallery and AGO Toronto are example of positive attitude, but looks not enough so far, the main reason being that curatorial decisions making comes from non-Canadians in that Galleries (well we are colonial, big BS).

And YES we have very distinctive art Photography which is unique to Canada only, otherwise it will not be Canadian.

So that is it and I am looking for publications that deals with Canadian art Photography, preferably books.

If some Americans does not know what actually is American art-Photography does not means there is no such things. It is hard for someone practicing Photography from time to time as a hobby to spend enough time in search and undestanding.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I think anything which could be described as art photography and inspired, have something related to Canada is Canadian art photography.
But if immigrant is taking art photos and he is Canadian it is Canadian art photography as well.
Like it or not.
I went to Art Gallery in Vancouver and they had Fred Herzog photos. He is immigrant and he took photos of Vancouver as fine art.

Yet, Canadian art photography is also something like half-eaten McIntosh Red apple photo taken with LF and on the wet plate. .

...

And J. Szarkowski was quite wrong on that matter too, when he said in Montreal we have no culture nor art.
...

What a blind mutton.

 

[Arklatexian]

Maybe theres a "Central American/Mexican" photography. Indigenous/Latin blood, Roman Catholic issues?

I think you may have had "tongue-in-cheek" when you wrote this but it is not really difficult to spot a "New Mexican" photograph if any old buildings, mountains, etc. are included, nor is it difficult to tell if pictures came from South Louisiana with the Cypress trees, Spanish Moss. and alligators. Maybe there are parts of Canada that are "Canadien" as well. After all, if we are using the same or similar cameras, film, etc, the "difference" will be the subject-matter. Am I correct? I value your opinion.....Regards!

 

[Bob Carnie]

One could argue there is the West Coast Jeff Wall school of images , and the Ontario Ed Burtynski school of images. Both of these photographers have influenced thousands of Canadian as well as countless international artists.

 

[jtk]

"I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK"

Poutine. Bland beer.

 

[Berkeley Mike]

Canadians are distinctly not Americans. Just listen to Canadian pop, folk, and traditional music. Listen to CBC radio and compare it to American radio or, even better, American Armed Forces radio. Experience the Canadian demeanor and how they are received around the world as compared to Americans. That said, the difference between Eastern Canada and Western Canada is huge. Further, Victoria BC is nothing like Seattle WA or Portland OR.

So, Canadian Photo as distinct from American Photo? Not too hard to believe.

 

[jtk]

https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/the-top-20-canadian-musicians/

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

"I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK"

Poutine. Bland beer.

WTF??

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Canadians are distinctly not Americans. Just listen to Canadian pop, folk, and traditional music. Listen to CBC radio and compare it to American radio or, even better, American Armed Forces radio. Experience the Canadian demeanor and how they are received around the world as compared to Americans. That said, the difference between Eastern Canada and Western Canada is huge. Further, Victoria BC is nothing like Seattle WA or Portland OR.

So, Canadian Photo as distinct from American Photo? Not too hard to believe.

Thank you. Someone with some sense.

 

[Kodiak]

Yes, Bob, Wall and Burtynski are two. We have much more good people, e.g. Laura Letinsky, and no one is better than many other. All equally good, just business talent different. I am sure our best Photographers are never seen on any exhibitions. If they were in US many books will be published on them. You see what National Gallery did: published a book about Canadian art Photographers with one work of each of them. Shame. How to spread our Photography on level of art as seen in US? where one can find just sooo many books about Stieglitz, Steichen, Weston, ..., even about many bad (by my own standard only) Photographers like R.Gibson.
Our colonial status is our large scale brake...