Toronto Makes Good Photo Exhibit

“Rainbow” was taken in Holly Chang’s Toronto apartment, linking to the theme “Toronto Makes Good” by depicting the quiet nuances and moments of living in a bustling metropolis. “Rainbow” demonstrates that Toronto residents can take a moment for mindful reflection even if the city around us is constantly changing.

Johnny Wu’s “Nature” showcases two strong women who grow their own vegetables in little city-run plots. The photo links to the theme of “Toronto Makes Good” because in this rapidly changing society, we must support local farms and reduce our use of single-use plastics, a sobering reminder that we need to take steps to save our planet.

Johnny Wu’s “Swing Summer Away” showcases Toronto’s love for the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), the city’s end of summer bash that has a little bit of everything for everyone.

“This is Worldtown Unbound” captures Leilah Dhoré’s gratefulness for her connection to the space and artists of the exhibition at Toronto Media Arts Centre. The flower as the focus of this image represents the connection between Dhoré as the event photographer and the artists who exhibited photographs, as they had each been gifted a single red carnation.

Nawang Tsomo’s “Amala’s Garden” is a portrait photo of Tsomo’s amala in her garden. Amala is the Tibetan word for mother. Tsomo took a quick snapshot with a 35mm point-and-shoot camera.

The photograph portrays the power in consistency and patience, and the sincerity in a slow practice. It realizes change as constant, growth as necessary, and decline as a vital part of both. Tsomo recounts the moment of the photograph—a world of colourful prayer flags and laundry whites moved with the wind, flowers were in full bloom, and the grass was as green as ever.

Radha’s image shows a low-angle shot inside a bus stop with people surrounding it. While it shows the vibrant nightlife of the city, it also depicts some of the precarious housing situations in Toronto and links to the theme of “Toronto as a Home” because the same bus stop will be used differently by people who seek shelter. Despite the city’s housing insecurities, Radha believes Toronto will keep moving and growing and take its people along with it.

Sherry Yu’s “Morning Swim at the Lake” captures a woman taking an early swim in the lake at Centre Island. This photo links to the theme of “healthy interaction with public spaces” by demonstrating how individuals can engage in healthy activities while interacting with the environment.

Stephen Attong’s “Game 6” captures Toronto’s euphoria on the night the Toronto Raptors won their first-ever NBA Championship. In this photo, Raptors fans celebrate the team’s unprecedented victory by taking to the streets and shouting in unison.

Dorjé’s photography focuses on documenting the unique and shared commonality in the everyday, whether that is in the alleyways around Boudhanath stupa or the neighbourhoods of Toronto. The themes of his works border on the relationship between humans and their built environment, spirituality, precarious traditional practices, and memorial sites.