Rustad Galleria – January 29th to March 1st, 2015

Fearturing local teens Morgan Clark, Sarah Frigon, Emily Holmes, Maggie Maloney, Latisha Rawlings, Wayne Rawlings, Caleb van Unen and Catia Webb.

A Lexicon of the North is an exhibition of photographic prints by local high school students. In November, 2014, Morgan Clark, Sarah Frigon, Emily Holmes, Maggie Maloney, Latisha Rawlings, Wayne Rawlings, Caleb van Unen and Catia Webb were each given disposable black and white cameras and asked the question “what does it mean to you to live in the North?

This series of images captured through the camera lens is their answer. Represented is a diverse world of quiet landscapes, urban settings, recreation and nature drawn into winter’s fold. Sometimes grainy, sometimes precise, these images weave a poetic narrative according to the world of the photographers.

The disposable cameras used, precluded the possibility of previewing a composition in a way that most digital cameras make possible. Consequently, as well as the eye of the photographer there are elements of chance and circumstance woven into each image that help lend a sense of magic. This is further amplified by the need to wait until the film is processed- days or weeks later- to discover whether or not an image was successfully captured.

In many ways, these images are a counter to the often instantly rewarding character of our high tech world. Given a limited number of frames each photographer needed to carefully consider each photograph before committing it to film. The result is interesting, well composed and thought provoking images that speak to life in Northern British Columbia.

Featured artwork: Maggie Maloney, Untitled. 2014