"Journey From..."
A Photo Exhibition by Gillian Mapp
In Partnership with
As part of
Exhibition Unveiling: Saturday, March 25, 2023
On display from March to September 2023
In Front of The Jamii Hub | 264 The Esplanade
On March 25, Jamii unveiled "Journey From...", a photo exhibition by Gillian Mapp, as part of our The Kisanii Hub outdoor events series of 2023. "Journey From..." invited audiences to discover the stories of those who have immigrated to Canada and now live in The Esplanade community. Photo portraits of 6 community members, taken by Gillian Mapp, were accompanied by intergenerational conversations of their journey of immigration.
As part of the unveiling event, Aline Morales, Heidi Chan, Sukruti Tiripattur, Irma Villafuerte performed and made the unveiling a visual and auditory feast for the audience!
The exhibition is displayed in front of The Jamii Hub, at the corner of The Esplanade & Berkeley St, from the spring to the Fall of 2023.
CREDITS:
Photographer: Gillian Mapp
Project Lead: Afnan Yakot
Audio Editors: Gillian Mapp, Isorine Marc, and Jeremy Glenn
RBC Emerging Artist Mentor: Vanessa Magic
Participants: Pelin and Denise, Lily and Daniella,
Natalia and Vlad, Noriko and Alina,
Kei and Kenneth, Noeline and Francesa,
Ghader and Huda
ARTISTIC STATEMENT by GILLIAN MAPP
Journey from…explores unfolding stories of the journey beyond the destination.
To know where we are going, we must understand where we have been. Journey from… shares the stories of women who have contributed to the mosaic of Canada by celebrating their place of origin. By remembering each individual's experience, we add to the collective memory to truly feel seen and alive.
In creating these portraits I intended to capture the essence of past and present by examining collective migration histories. By exploring the journey that brought these women to where they are right now. I felt the importance of being a bridge for untold stories to be heard while shaping my own understanding of the broader communities. With this in mind, this project is about much more than recording history. It's about inspiring change for future generations.
This exhibit shares stories of people who sought safety, new opportunities, and even family reunification, with the promise of better lives despite leaving so much behind. Home is now their place in Canada, but they can always remember where their identity was born. The portraits are accompanied by intergenerational conversations about each woman’s experience and emphasize that the journey is just as important as the destination.
These stories amplify First Generation Canadians by giving them a platform to be heard. As they balance the challenges of the displacement of leaving their home and the overwhelming undertaking to start new in a foreign land. The power of image-making is its ability to change our perception of the world and, in turn, influence history. Everyone has a destination, but the journey is theirs to make.
Supported by
Noriko & Kei - Journey From Japan
Pelin - Journey From Turkiye
Noeline - Journey From Uganda
Ghader - Journey From Syria
Lily - Journey From Kenya
Natalia - Journey From Ukraine
About Photographer Gillian Mapp:
I started seeing images early on when I was younger, way before I even held a camera to conspire to make images I’d use my eyes to capture moments and make them permanent treasures in my mind’s eye. Back then, I saw the importance of documenting my story because it was clear that no one else would do it for me. The importance of recording history was instilled by my mothers determination to document every moment of our childhood. I remember every trip we made to drop off film roles, and patiently waiting for their development to reveal what she had captured. Since then, I’ve made photography a way to record history in an effort to change the way people see and remember the world. My photography is grounded in showcasing the beauty in the moments and people around me, and bringing untold stories to the forefront.
My work includes portraiture, editorial and documentary style stills, and more recently film (motion).
Special thanks to
Supported by