History Archives - The Image Journey

Published March 4, 2023 by avardw

It’s an honour to have my photos in the City of Toronto Archives – 2023_03_04

It’s all too beautiful, Yonge and Queen, Toronto, 1997 – © Avard Woolaver

Recently 700 of my photos (digital images) were added to the City of Toronto Archives. It’s a real honour, and a good feeling, knowing that my 1980s street photos will be kept for future generations. Many thanks to Michele Dale, the supervisor of collection management and standards at the City of Toronto Archives, for seeing the merit in my work.

The above photo is one of my favourites from the archives collection.
In those days I worked near Queen and River. I’d ride my bicycle home along Queen Street and sometimes stop in at Tower Records, put on the headphones and listen to Summer Side of Life by Gordon Lightfoot. I’d be transported into a beautiful musical world.

When look at this photo, I think about light, and life, and the miracle of just being alive and being able to experiencing things. I also think about Toronto music: “Lost Together” by Blue Rodeo, “Spirit of Radio” by Rush, “Lovers In A Dangerous Time” by Bruce Cockburn, “Bobcaygeon” by The Tragically Hip; songs by Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell, or Neil Young. These are songs that run through my mind when I look at this photo and think about that time in my life. I’m nostalgic for those Toronto days.

Here is a link to the collection. (Fonds 620; Avard Woolaver fonds) Scroll down and click: “browse,” and you can see the photos. I think they represent my strongest work, and there are several that have never been published previously. Hope you enjoy them!

History Photography

1980s Avard Woolaver fonds City of Toronto Archives film photography music Toronto

Published June 27, 2020 by avardw

The True Heroes

Sharmay Beals-Wentzell and her daughter Shartelle Lyon organizers of a Black Lives Matter community forum in Windsor, Nova Scotia © Avard Woolaver

I attended a Black Lives Matter community forum today in Windsor, Nova Scotia, and found it inspiring and thought provoking. As I listened to the speakers relate personal stories of racism and oppression, it dawned on me that it is the black and indigenous peoples who are the true heroes. To have your land taken away, or escape slavery, live in poverty, live with segregation and residential schools; and not only survive, but THRIVE —this should be celebrated, not ignored or downplayed by white people. Imagine being told by the white majority that you are not equal, that you are second class. And in extreme cases, not really human. Imagine this inhumane treatment happening for 400 years. It’s challenging for white people to try to comprehend the depths and reach of white privilege. We should all be proud of black and indigenous citizens and of how they have succeeded in spite of racism and oppression. There is so much white people can learn from them, from their resilience and community strength.

If whites had escaped enslavement or survived residential schools, they would have been lauded as cultural heroes and icons. It’s telling that many of our monuments are for the men who were the greatest oppressors. The colonialists, slave traders, land barons. Why can’t we have more monuments for those who succeeded even when everything was stacked against them?

Black Lives Matter is very important in 2020. For all those who say All Lives Matter, I say that’s true, but imagine living in a world where the playing field is slanted in the other team’s favor (and has been for hundreds of years). Could white people even survive in such an inhumane world?

I am a white man who has known white privilege his whole life and I’m happy to be part of this cultural change.

Blogging Documentary History Nova Scotia Photography

Black Lives Matter Community Forum Nova Scotia Windsor

Published June 12, 2017 by avardw

Robert Frank’s work is still relevant, sixty years on

Robert Frank, Don't Blink, photography, — Dundas and Victoria, Toronto, 1981 © Avard Woolaver

I recently watched Don’t Blink, a fascinating documentary on the life and work of photographer Robert Frank. Now 92, Frank is considered, by many, one of the greatest living photographers—and seeing this documentary reminded me that his ground-breaking photographs from The Americans are still relevant, nearly sixty years after publication.

It occurs to me now watching Don’t Blink that it is the emotional impact of his work that makes it special. His documentary photos from the 50s seem timeless, especially since the same social and racial issues he exposed then are still seen today.

Robert Frank was one of my earliest influences when I first discovered photography. I was struck by his photos’ emotional impact, their grittiness, their raw power.

In Don’t Blink, Frank is asked, “What makes a picture good?” He replies, “Mostly I get people when they are not aware of the camera. And usually the first picture was the best one. Once someone is aware of the camera it becomes a different picture; people change.” For him, art is a spontaneous and free-flowing process. It’s something we can apply in today’s digital world, where imaging making has become more glossy and contrived. It makes me want to take photos with my gut—pictures that have emotional impact.

If you have not seen Don’t Blink, TVO (TVOntario) is streaming the film for free until July 9 at the link below. I highly recommend it.

http://tvo.org/video/documentaries/dont-blink-robert-frank

Dundas and Victoria, Toronto, 1981 is from the series: Toronto Days