I have found that most, if not all, publications that focus on our beautiful school tend to dehumanize us. I am not saying this is anyone’s fault. The size of UofT makes it difficult for anyone to encapsulate the average student’s experience. Because of this, we’re often referred to in numbers. We’re always just 1 of roughly 67,000 students.We’re always going up or going down in various world university rankings, which is yet another numerical measure. It’s no wonder why it’s hard for an outsider to hone in on what it really feels like to be a member of the University of Toronto. Each and every one of us knows our personal experiences, and the fact that UofT lacks a rigid identity in many ways, is the very trait that gives it a unique one.
With this project and book, I hope to add to a narrative that to me, is in its infancy. I want to create what I think is lacking in the way that UofT is perceived. It will be a photography book, focusing on students in their favourite locations. I’ve chosen to go with only one word to be given by each participant because of its simplicity but also its poignancy. By just reading one word and seeing one portrait, the reader has an idea of what UofT is like for the student in front of the camera, but it still is also up to the reader’s interpretation. It will leave the reader guessing, while simultaneously giving them insight into the day to day student life at UofT.
If you would like to be a part of this project, you can sign up here
My photography can be found at the following links; my portfolio, my flickr, my instagram, and my vsco grid.
Feel free to contact me via email if you want more information about the book. Thank you for listening. Let’s create something beautiful.
