From May 1-31, 2006, Toronto celebrates the 10th anniversary of the annual Contact photography exhibition.
Globalization has stimulated an increasing cycle of interconnections through economic, environmental, political, technological and cultural exchange on a world-wide scale. A dialogue between people globally is dramatically on the rise as cultures continually interact while goods, services, money, and ideas flow rapidly across national borders. As we move beyond traditional territories and national states, the combined forces of globalization stimulate both positive and negative circumstances of world-wide human interaction from the increase in artistic exchange made possible by the internet to the degradation of the environment caused by multinational corporations. Photography’s ability to document and articulate issues that transcend boundaries is central to an understanding of the forces that shape globalization and define our place within a worldwide culture.
For the 2006 Contact Toronto Photography Festival, Imaging a Global Culture will focus on photo-based works that reflect the interconnections between people of this planet that have increased dramatically over the past decade. Although not strictly limited to this particular time period, the thematic focus of the festival will include the following issues: environmental change; urbanization; social and cultural communications; technology and economic exchange.
Imaging a Global Culture will explore these issues through exhibitions, public installations, lectures, films and events in CONTACT from May 1 31, 2006.
For more information, please visit www.contactphoto.com.