15 must-see shows at the Contact Photography Festival in Toronto

The Contact Photography Festival begins next week in Toronto and that means the city will see an influx of photographic works meant to excite, rouse, surprise and engage us. There are plenty of events going on at venues all over the city by both local and international artists.

Here are some of the must-see shows at the Contact Photography Festival in Toronto for 2018.

Events you might want to check out:

Queering Family Photography (April 21-26 @ Stephen Bulger Gallery)
Taking a critical approach to family photographs, this exhibit explores how they function in creating queer modes of intimacy and belonging.
newlandia: debaabaminaagwad (April 25 - August 5 @ Ryerson University)
This outdoor installation by First Nations artist Scott Benesiinaabandan looks at monuments and the stories ingrained within them.
The Castle (April 26 - June 9 @ Arsenal Contemporary Toronto)
Photographer Richard Mosse documents refugee camps using a thermal video camera to highlight the human figures amongst the harsh environment.
A Forest of Canoes (April 27 - August 31 @ The Bentway)
The Bentway becomes part of the art as artist Dana Claxton considers the symbolism of the canoe in Canadian, Metis, and Indigenous histories.
Arcades (April 28 - June 16 @ CONTACT Gallery)
Artist Felicity Hammond uses the Toronto skyline to consider the role technology plays in building environments from digital renderings.
Shelley Niro (April 28 - August 5 @ Ryerson Image Centre)
Winner of the Scotiabank Photography Award, Shelley Niro’ work infuses provocative images to stir memory to uncover different narratives.
Say Less (April 30 - June 3 @ Billboards on Lansdowne Ave at Dundas St W and College St)
Lansdowne and Dundas is set to be transformed by multimedia artist Awol Erizku in an attempt to draw attention to issues of racial diversity in Western art.
Anniversary (May 1-27 @ Latvian Canadian Centre)
Five Latvian photographers come together to explore a theme that pervade everyday moments of life in Latvia.
The Uncanny Valley Portraits (May 1-31 @ Only One Gallery)
Wax figures prove to be a source of intrigue for photographer Peter Andrew Lusztyk as he explores the eeriness and feelings of revulsion among observers.
Radicalia (May 1 - June 17 @ Campbell House Museum)
Radicals of all kinds from nuns to criminals are captured through portraits in a range of photographic formats by Piero Martinello.
True North - X (May 3-31 @ Withrow Common)
This photo journal is set to unveil its first ever annual photobook featuring the best of Canadian documentary photography.
Limited Edition (May 3 - June 2 @ Gladstone Hotel)
This exhibit highlights the inherent cultural genocide and misrepresentation found in the portrait studio - a place historically reserved for the wealthy.
Mom (May 3 - June 16 @ Scrap Metal)
The lines between family and muse become blurred with Charlie Engman’s photographic project focused solely on his mother.
A Telepathic Book (May 5-16 @ Black Cat Artspace)
The Broadbent Sisters test the limits of intuition, nonverbal communication in this interactive exhibit that recreates the sensory experience.
I Am You (May 10 - June 2 @ Nicholas Metivier Gallery)
Photos taken by the first African-American staff photographer for LIFE, Gordon Parks, chronicle the ongoing fight for racial equality in the U.S.

by Lisa Power via blogTO