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Launching
Faces, Bodies, Personas: Tracing Cuban Stories New book by Montreal -based Photographer Babak Salari
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Faces, Bodies, Personas: Tracing Cuban Stories, a new book by award-winning Iranian-Canadian photographer, Babak Salari, published by Janet 45 and printed in English and Bulgarian, is launching in Canada after its inauguration in Sofia and Plovdiv, Bulgaria. David Hopkins, Chair of Dawson Institute of Photography, presented Salari’s book at MEKIC Gallery on March 29, 5-7pm.
A photo-documentary on Havana’s queer artistic community, Faces, Bodies, Personas is Babak Salari’s third major exploration of gay subcultures in Latin America. With its focus on identity and sexuality, the work traces back to Salari’s 1994 project “Time in Juchitan,” in which Salari reveals the unique culture of Juchitan, Mexico, where gays are valued and accepted as important members of the community and the family. During a trip to Havana in March 2001, Salari was inspired to revisit these issues and began documenting the diverse community of sex workers, performers, students, and other individuals who would become the subjects of Queers at the Margins of Society In Faces Salari documents the culture-makers of Cuba. Bringing together 32 of Cuba’s most prominent artists including dancers, playwrights, photographers. Salari takes on their mission to expose, explore, and defy the boundaries of sexuality and identity.
About Babak Salari
Babak Salari is a Montreal-based photographer and educator who chronicles lives at the margins of society. His documentary projects include: Iranian artists in exile, matriarchal, indigenous communities in Mexico, and gays and transvestites in Cuba. Recently, he has documented those displaced and brutalized by war in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and Palestine. His interest in photography began as a teenager in his native Iran where he contributed to various publications. At 21 his political activities resulted in his imprisonment for six months by the Khomeini regime. He then fled to Pakistan, arrived in Canada a year later and resumed his study and practice of photography. His new multimedia work “Colour of my Dreams,” examines death, exile and love. For more information, please visit www.babaksalari.com or contact the artist by email babak@babaksalari.com.
About David Hopkins
David Hopkins, Chair of Dawson Institute f Photography, is an award winning photographer and the recipient of the Director General's Teaching Excellence Award for l995-96. He specializes in black & white documentary photography but also teaches across the curriculum from studio classes to computer imaging. In addition to being an active photographer, David occasionally contributes articles to a variety of magazines here in Canada and abroad.. David believes in experimentation and play as powerful learning tools in his courses.His personal photographic explorations (read “creative distractions”) include digital imaging, 3D and pinhole photography, and shooting B&W panoramic landscapes using disposable.
Opening Hours:
Tue-Friday 11am - 7pm
Sat & Sun: 12pm - 6pm
