In 2017, Toronto-based photographer Jorian Charlton received a collection of 35mm slides from her father for safe-keeping: his photographs from Jamaica, New York and Toronto from the late 1970s to the late ‘80s. The images reveal Charlton’s family lineage, and they inspired this exhibition. Charlton’s own portraits are paired with her father’s slides, creating a visual dialogue across generations.

Charlton explores the fluidity of the immigration story in her work, considers new ways of thinking about Jamaican-Canadian culture, and reimagines the family album through a contemporary lens. In concert with her father’s photographic narrative, these works constitute a tangible archive of what was, what is, and what will become––one, out of many.

Jorian Charlton: Out of Many is curated by Emilie Croning and presented in collaboration with Wedge Curatorial Projects and Gallery TPW.

Originally scheduled to open at Gallery TPW in February 2021 and delayed due to prolonged COVID-19 closures, this exhibition has become an online project (www.out-of-many.ca). While the virtual experience is still active, presentation at the AGO marks the first time these works are on view in person for visitors to enjoy.