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An f8 Retrospective Review

Guests & View of Lower gallery

Toronto’s f8 Photography Collective Celebrates 15th Exhibition

by Nate Simpson 

 


The Toronto-based f8 Photography Collective has mounted an ambitious, month-long exhibit at the Columbus Centre’s Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery in North York. “An f8 Retrospective” runs until October 3, 2016 in the Atrium and Lower Gallery, and is the group’s 15th show since their founding in 2010. 

This milestone showcase features the works of f8 members Margit Koivisto, Maureen Littlewood, Catherine MacKinnon, Michael MacLaverty, Natalia Shields, Felicity Somerset, Rod Trider, and John Wallace. Also on display are the photographs of guest artists Robert Greatrix, Joe Calleja, Jude Marion, and Selby Shanly. 

 A diverse range of genres are represented: architecture, travel, transit, streetscapes, nature, portraiture, documentary, and more. Techniques are just as varied, including glicée prints, images on canvas, dye sublimated prints on aluminum, and prints on metallic paper, each of which are often employed to tremendous effect.

 Each collection presents thoughtful and compelling works. To highlight but a few: the stunning colours in Wallace’s “Inverted Reality – Pompidou” are a treat for the eyes; the empty houses in Koivisto’s “Homestead” documentary series are haunting; Calleja’s “Blue Hydrangea” and “Orange Dahlia” are big, bold, attention-grabbing prints on canvas; and Somerset’s “Landscape Abstract” elevates rusting metal to what might pass for landscapes viewed from a low orbit above the Earth.

 The Carrier is well lit and contains ample space to dwell in view of each collection. Although the distance between the two exhibit areas elicits an initial feeling of detachment, the works on display in the Atrium provide a superb prelude to the extensive and varied collections in the Lower Gallery.

 Overall, the underpinnings of this specific exhibit are the celebration of f8’s passion for photography, their evident technical skills and artistry, and their long-running success, all of which combine to make this show shine.

 “An f8 Retrospective” runs September 8, 2016 through October 3, 2016 in the Atrium and Lower Gallery at the Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery, 901 Lawrence Avenue West (at Dufferin) in North York. Gallery hours are Monday – Friday 10 am – 5 pm. Admission is free.                                                                                                                                            Gallery info at: www.carriergallery.com ; f8 info at: www.f8photographycollective.com