Week 31
I'm a fan of photography, but my experience attending photography shows have historically been sub par. I once attended a photography talk at the AGO and it wasn't too great....this.....this was totally different. I rarely leave a talk or session with the thought "I wish _____ was here to see this." There were definitely a number of people in my mind who I wish could have been there to see it. This woman was badass, and so great at telling her story. She talked a lot about her experience studying in University, and the impact that had on her; the importance of studying first and going out into the field after. If anything, that was certainly apparent by her talk.
Date: Monday November 6, 2017
Event/Activity: Rita Leistner : From the Battlefield to the Cut Block
Capacity: Alumni
Found: Arts & Science Newsletter
Host: Woodsworth College/Arts & Science
Link: http://alumni.artsci.utoronto.ca/rita-leistner-battlefield-cut-block/
Description: Internationally celebrated artist and documentary photographer Rita Leistner (BA Woodsworth; English & History, 1988) will give a visual presentation and talk at U of T about her journey from photographing conflict zones in Afghanistan and Iraq, to photographing and filming tree planters in western Canada. Leistner is the first female photojournalist to have her work as a part of the Canadian War Museum’s collection.
Experience:
What I learned:
-M
Date: Monday November 6, 2017
Event/Activity: Rita Leistner : From the Battlefield to the Cut Block
Capacity: Alumni
Found: Arts & Science Newsletter
Host: Woodsworth College/Arts & Science
Link: http://alumni.artsci.utoronto.ca/rita-leistner-battlefield-cut-block/
Description: Internationally celebrated artist and documentary photographer Rita Leistner (BA Woodsworth; English & History, 1988) will give a visual presentation and talk at U of T about her journey from photographing conflict zones in Afghanistan and Iraq, to photographing and filming tree planters in western Canada. Leistner is the first female photojournalist to have her work as a part of the Canadian War Museum’s collection.
U of T alumni are also invited to a special
private tour by the artist of her new exhibit, “The Tree Planters.” The
series, which captures tree planters heroically in a live-action
context, is a critical, in-depth look at the culture of reforestation in
Canada, and the human ability to co-operate with nature. (The exhibit
runs from October 21 to November 18 at Stephen Bulger Gallery.)
Experience:
- Rita Leistner has a new exhibit based on photography she did of tree planters
- She went through a presentation talking about her journey into photography and her experience working in war zones
- Bridged the story to discuss how that related to her series on tree planting
- The presentation was a mix of photographs and slide shows (with music) and it was incredibly powerful
What I learned:
- Rita talked about how getting her Masters first before going into photography completely changed the way she approaches her work
- Things which often feel like unrelated experiences (eg. doing lighting, or planting trees) can turn out to be one of the defining aspects of someone's career
- Sometimes when you feel like you've missed an opportunity it can turn out to be something which benefits you in the long run
- Focus on taking photos in stylized ways which mocks different art forms and accentuates human form
- In Rita's work access was really important; and she got that by getting people to trust her, and was good at being disarming; she never hid her feelings so people knew where she was coming from
- Most of us go through all the disappointments but we just get through it all one tree at a time
 |  | 
|
-M