191 Guildwood Parkway, Scarborough
how to be human
CONTACT Photography Festival 2022 - May 1 - 31, 2022
191 Guildwood Parkway, Scarborough
CONTACT Photography Festival 2022 - May 1 - 31, 2022
Find out about upcoming exhibitions and developments.
In how to be human – #wewillnotlethatewin, Thomas transforms lens-based source images into luminous commemorative mandalas to address the pandemic of needless violence in our communities.
With a recent rash of shootings in the Toronto and Scarborough communities, this exhibition is more relevant than ever. On May 11th, 2022, the Clark Centre for the Arts will be hosting a panel discussion entitled “The Damage of a Gun.” The guest speakers include Mitzie Hunter, MP Scarborough-Guildwood, representatives from Doctors for Protection against Firearms and Neil Donaldson from Stolen from Africa, as well as the artist, Thomas Brasch.
The exhibition and community talk wishes to promote discussions about a community’s ability to heal.
Works included in this section are commemorative of the Danforth and Danzig Street shootings, the Toronto and London (Ont.) vehicle attacks, the Montreal Massacre of 1989, and the Pulse Nightclub Shooting of 2016 whose hashtag #wewillnotlethatewin has started a movement of healing.
In how to be human – we are all connected, the artist draws lines and tells visual stories that place the history and rebirth of the “Guild of All Arts” in Scarborough within the greater history of the City of Toronto.
The exhibition consists of lens-based interpretations of the sculptures and façades on the grounds of the Guild Park and Gardens. These works engage the viewers to make a human connection between the sculptures and structures with the Guild Park and Gardens and the nature found in the surrounding conservation area of the Scarborough Bluffs.
The new works are part of Thomas’ series entitled Oculus Constructed. Untitled #01 and #03 are previous works from his series entitled Oculus.
In how to be human – we are more the same than different, the artist extols the richness of the vibrant cultures that define the City of Toronto.
With his lens-based interpretations of various textiles, carpets, tiles, and emblematic cultural motifs from the various ethnicities, Thomas is able to explore the sublime elements from various cultures that create a universal definition of beauty.
Though the diversity in Toronto seems limitless, the exhibition is only able to concentrate on a few examples. The images include two pieces from Thomas’ Tapestry series of Persian carpets.
New works include hanging tapestries invoking imagery from the Middle East to the Far East. These new pieces are part of Thomas’ latest series entitled Enlightenment.
The source images for these tapestries are from the Aga Khan Museum and the Ismaili Centre of Toronto, the Toronto Chinese Archway, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir and the Rexdale Singh Sabha Religious Centre.
“Photographs are a way of imprisoning reality...One can't possess reality, one can possess images--one can't possess the present but one can possess the past.”
― Susan Sontag
My main goal is to tell a story with a message that is universal, relatable and shareable. Each of my series has a specific aesthetic and mood. The magic happens in the interaction between the viewer and the photographer.
Thomas Brasch (B.A., B.Ed., MBA) has devoted twenty-five years to education. However, his
passion for photography drives his creative expression. Completely self-taught in the art, he is able to showcase his perceptions of beauty, turning the real into the surreal.
Limited edition prints are available in 3 sizes: 60 in/152 cm, 40 in/102 cm, 24 in/61 cm.. Unframed prints are sold through the studio while selected framed prints are available to rent from the Art Gallery of Ontario.
Copyright © 2022 Thomas Brasch Photography - Limited Edition Prints - All Rights Reserved.
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.