In this project grade 9, 10, and 11 photography students created photo diptychs and triptychs then frame-animation, while grade 12 film students created movie mashups and 6-second (aka vine) videos.
That was Then, This is Now
One constant in life is change. But what and how things change is not predestined and how we react to changes now, shapes the future. Using the conceptual prompt of "then and now" student source images online, edit and arrange them to curate stories of personal, political and cultural change through diptychs (a.k.a image pairs).
Culture Containers (diptych) (2018) by Sophia P., grade 10 studentNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
These works use juxtaposition and ordering to direct their meaning. They are edited to highlight difference and similitude, and simplify information to amplify meaning.
Culture Containers (triptych) (2018) by Sophia P., grade 10 studentNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
Once meaningful connections are established in diptychs (image pairs) that meaning is complicated by adding a third image somewhere along the implied timeline of each work.
Night and Day (2018) by Jigme W. Hara, grade 10 photography studentNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
Cloud (2018) by Jigme W. Hara, grade 10 photography studentNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
Artistic Growth (2018) by Alex Filan, grade 11 studentNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
Here the artist shows us how time has improved her ballet form.
Mentorship (2018) by Alex Filan, grade 11 studentNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
Then she reveals the role that mentorship played in that process of skill building.
Honestly (diptych) (2018) by Hannah L., grade 11 studentNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
This work shows how the demolition of a cherished landmark can change the face of a neighbourhood.
Hipster189 (2018) by Hannah L., grade 11 studentNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
And this photo essay approaches the same subject matter by making visual connections between social groups and systemic forces driving gentrification and neighbourhood change.
Fast Forward
After completing photo pairs and essays, students learned about the importance of image order in animation, by making photo GIFs (Graphics Interchange Format), what is essentially a looped-slideshow of images. These GIFs and video loops explored the nature of time as well.
Good Till the Last Drop (2017) by grade 9 studentNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
The Stuff Dreams Are made Of (2017) by grade 12 studentNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
Tap Tap (2017) by Jamie B., grade 10 studentNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
The way that time can seem to stand still...
Out of Water and Time (2018) by grade 11 studentNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
and, what it means for time to "run out".
Infinity loops
Film students explored the looped video from the opposite perspective. Rather than an animation built from still images, what if a storytelling medium like video could be reduced to its shortest version. How would this require a circular narrative instead of a story with beginning middle and end? How is an infinite loop complicated when sound is introduced? And how does this all relate to story boarding and the order of images ans storytelling devices?
Tightrope (2018) by Madelena Montiero, grade 12 film studentNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
A Bread's Life (2018) by Oskar D., grade 12 filmNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
Untitled (6 second video) (2018) by Ginger W, grade 12 film studentNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
Lego Mans (2018) by Andrew C, grade 12 film studentNever Gallery Ready (NgR)
This project was made possible with the generous support of the Ontario Arts Council.
Special thanks to school host Ursula Franklin Academy and classroom teacher Yolanda Mak.
Selected works created during this project were exhibited at Artscape Young Place as a part of the annual Toronto District School Board's tdsbCREATES showcase.
