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About | Top Ten Winners | The Jury
Prizing | Media Contact | Programming Contact
Top three winners
On February 18, 2010 at 6 p.m. in the Rotunda at Toronto’s City Hall, Mayor David Miller was joined by Councillor Raymond Cho (Ward 42 Scarborough-Rouge River), Canon Canada President and CEO Kevin Ogawa, and many of the project’s participants to celebrate the work of all the entrants from the Our City, Our Stories powered by Canon photography contest and to announce its top three winners.
The first place winner of the Our City, Our Stories powered by Canon contestis 20-year-old Thorncliffe Park resident Jawad Mashuque, whose series City in Perpetual Motion is a vibrant visualization of the energy of the city. The second place winner is 17-year-old Scarborough resident Mapela Uhindu-Gingala, whose series These are the Fables of my City of Toronto creatively captures her love of the arts in various downtown settings. The third place winner is 18-year-old North York resident Kevin Graham. His series Dance with the Shadows imaginatively combines and contrasts movement and light.
Toronto spoken word artists Najla Edwards, Humble the Poet, and Sun aka therealSun were commissioned to write works inspired by the photography of the three winners and performed those works at the February 18 event.
The top three winners each received a Canon SLR camera and a Canon photo printer. The first place winner also has the opportunity to have his winning entry purchased by the City’s Fine Art Collection as well as the opportunity for an internship (with honorarium) with the City of Toronto’s Arts Services. The second place winner also receives a gift certificate of up to $200 for photography related materials or instruction. The remaining seven of the top ten finalists all received a Canon point and shoot camera.
About
From February to December 2009 youth, in the city’s Priority Neighbourhoods for Investment from ages 13 to 22, participated in 19 different (eight-week) programs. A total of 152 digital photography workshops were held in schools and community centres. On completion of the workshops, each participant was invited to post a suite of nine photographs that shared a story about life in Toronto and enter the Our City, Our Stories powered by Canon photography contest. 197 submissions were received by December 15, 2009.
In addition, 10 youth were able to develop their artistic careers through employment in the workshops as arts assistants. A video documentary was also started with three youth under the mentorship of “Shoot With This”, a community arts organization that mentors and engages youth through video making.
Nearly 200 submissions were received from youth in the city’s Priority Neighbourhoods for Investment. On December 22, 2009 a five-member jury met to select the top 10 winning entries. The top ten finalists were chosen by a jury and their work showcased in a photo exhibition in Toronto City Hall’s Rotunda from February 16 through February 21, 2010.
This free exhibition will then move to the Etobicoke Civic Centre from March 11 to 25, 2010 and to the Scarborough Civic Centre from April 12 to 21, 2010.
In Our City, Our Stories powered by Canon there are many stories being told. There are stories about home, about difficulties in school and in life. There are funny stories, happy stories and stories that make you think. The exhibit reflects the city back to us through the eyes of youth and encourages us to think about our own stories. It allows us all to participate in reflecting on what the story of Toronto is today and what we all want it to be tomorrow. Most of all, it reflects the joy of youth in discovering more about themselves and their city through the camera and sharing their stories with us.
Top Ten Winners
The top ten winners names and projects for Our City, Our Stories powered by Canon include: Gabriella Abis – The Odyssey of Play; Veronica Brown – No Man is Yet an Isle; Kevin Graham – Dance with the Shadows; Maria Khan – The Road to Home; William Kuan – Tresvonne’s Dynamic Personality; Jawad Mashuque – City in Perpetual Motion; Kyle Minniti – Our Impact; Mapela Uhindu-Gingala – These are the Fables of my City of Toronto; Zheng Wu – Secret and Hawa Yusuf – Family.
The Jury
The winners of the Our City, Our Stories powered by Canon photography contest were selected by a jury that included: Michael Awad (internationally known Toronto photographer); Dionne Brand (internationally acclaimed Toronto-based poet and novelist who is Toronto’s Poet Laureate); Royson James (Toronto journalist and columnist for the Toronto Star); Ruba Nadda (award-winning Montreal born filmmaker) and Wayne Doyle (Senior Manager, Corporate Communications, Canon Canada).
Prizing Information
The first prize winner receives: A Canon SLR camera and a Canon photo printer; the opportunity to have their winning entry purchased and accessioned by the City’s Fine Art Collection; the opportunity for an internship (with honorarium) with the Arts Services, City of Toronto’s Cultural Services.
The second prize winner receives: A Canon SLR camera and a Canon photo printer; a gift certificate of up to $200 for photography - related materials or instruction; promotional items (up to $100 each in value) from City of Toronto.
The third prize winner receives: A Canon SLR camera and a Canon photo printer; promotional items (up to $100 each in value) from City of Toronto.
The remaining seven of the top ten finalists will win a Canon point and shoot camera as well as promotional items (up to $100.00 each in value) from the City of Toronto.
Our City, Our Stories powered by Canon is an initiative of Toronto’s Economic Development and Culture division produced in association with Arts Etobicoke, Lakeshore Arts, the Scarborough Arts Council and the UrbanArts Community Arts Council.
Media Contacts
Shane Gerard, Senior Promotions & Communications Coordinator,
Cluster A Communications Unit, 416-397-5711, sgerard@toronto.ca
Jessica Draker, High Road Communications, 416-644-2270, jdraker@highroad.com
Programming Contact
Nawfal Sheikh, Cultural Outreach Officer (Acting)
Toronto Cultural Services, Arts Services, 416-392-6371, nsheikh@toronto.ca
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