Presenting highlights online of the full roster of exhibitions originally planned for Toronto’s celebrated month-long May Festival

As the COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly transformed how art is currently experienced, the 24th edition of the Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival is adapting to reflect the challenges of this reality. Typically spanning the month of May, CONTACT is Toronto’s annual city-wide festival of photography exhibitions and public installations. This year, it is expected to unfold at venues as public safety is assured over the coming months.

CONTACT continues its commitment to supporting an exceptional range of projects by Canadian and international lens-based artists and a diverse array of exhibitions in museums, galleries, public sites, and alternative spaces throughout Toronto. To demonstrate that support, acknowledge the efforts of everyone involved, and celebrate the participants and their practices, CONTACT’s website will reveal a selection of artwork (some for the first time) and all exhibition essays from its Primary Exhibitions (collaborations with major museums, galleries, and artist-run centers); plus profiles on its Featured Exhibitions selected from submissions. The site will also include listings for all Open Call Exhibitions, featuring a range of works by local and international artists at galleries and alternative spaces across the city.

CONTACT’s signature Public Installation program of site-specific public art projects will also be profiled on the website. Installations will open on a case-by-case basis once public safety is assured and schedules are confirmed.

The highly regarded Festival catalogue will be available, when permitted by public health protocol, for free at all participating venues and for purchase on-line through CONTACT’s website scotiabankcontactphoto.com. The 208-page glossy publication is also expected to be available for purchase at select bookstores across the country.

Artists whose work will be featured on the Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival website include:

Laia Abril, Diane Arbus, Bertille Bak, Elisabeth Belliveau, Dawoud Bey, Persijn Broersen & Margit Lukács, Fatma Bucak, Wendy Coburn, John Edmonds, Kim Hoeckele, Vid Ingelevics & Ryan Walker, Lisa Jackson, Aaron Jones, Christina Leslie, Kelly Fyffe-Marshall, Wardell Milan, Ethan Murphy, Ebti Nagab, Native Art Department International, Yoshua Okón, Taiyo Onorato and Nico Krebs, Dawit L. Petros, Helen Reed, Lyla Rye, Carol Sawyer, Thirza Schaap, Greg Staats, Małgorzata Stankiewicz, Krista Belle Stewart, May Truong, Stephen Waddell, Natalie Wood, Miao Ying, Tereza Zelenkova, and Elizabeth Zvonar.

WHERE

Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

WHEN

Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival typically spans the month of May. In compliance with public health guidelines issued by federal, provincial, and local governments and to support stringent efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, CONTACT exhibitions and public installations will open on a case-by-case basis, once public safety is assured and schedules are confirmed. In the wake of the pandemic, many CONTACT Festival participants have agreed to reschedule their exhibitions where possible for later this year. Please visit Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival for updates.

Media Contacts

For additional information, Libby Mark or Heather Meltzer at Bow Bridge Communications, LLC,

Toronto: +1 647-544-8441, New York City: +1 347-460-5566; info@bow-bridge.com.

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Image Captions

Page 1 left to right:

Tereza Zelenkova, Bedroom Mirror, Campbell House, 2020. Courtesy of the artist and Ravestijn Gallery,

Amsterdam.

Taiyo Onorato & Nico Krebs, X1, from the series Future Perfect, 2019. Courtesy of the artist and Sies+Hoeke.

Laia Abril, Shrinky Recipe, from the series Testing Virgins, On Rape, 2019. Courtesy of the artist and

Galerie Les Filles du Calvaire.

Stephen Waddell, Boarding, 1999. Courtesy of the artist and Monte Clark Gallery.

Page 2 from left to right:

Fatma Bucak, 7 February 2016, from the series Remains of what has not been said, 2016. Courtesy of the artist and Alberto Peola Contemporary Art Gallery / Pi Artworks.

Kim Hoeckele, Block-like Figure Invoking Birth, 2018. Courtesy of the artist.

Thirza Schaap, Carnival, from the series Plastic Ocean, 2017- ongoing. Courtesy of the artist. 

Aaron Jones, Untitled, 2018. Courtesy of the artist.