PS Scarborough: B-Side Scarborough by nextgenarts

B-SIDE SCARBOROUGH 1

WORKS BY: GAYA GANESAN JENENI JUDE LEEZA GHEERAWO MICHELLE TAN NITHURSAN ELAMUHILAN RAYMOND WAN

B-SIDE SCARBOROUGH

WORKS BY: GAYA GANESAN JENENI JUDE LEEZA GHEERAWO MICHELLE TAN NITHURSAN ELAMUHILAN RAYMOND WAN

Published by Next Generation Arts 1121 Bellamy Road North, Unit 2 Scarborough ON M1H 3B9 Copyright © 2022 Next Generation Arts and their respective authors. All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced or used in any form without the prior written permission of the publisher. ISBN 978-1-9995017-2-3 Manufactured in Canada. Cover and layout by Marianne Rellin. About Next Generation Arts Next Generation Arts works in a cyclical model that all projects, programs, and events directly serve the participants while impacting the community through peer-to-peer and graduate model. We source experienced artists, mentors, and facilitators to share their creative passions and host conversations with youth for their next experiences within the arts; and find opportunities for these youth to take on those new learnings and skillsets. Our organization believes in the quality of our training to young people, and in our young people themselves, to directly give them the opportunity to be the next mentors for new incoming youth. We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Toronto Arts Council and the City of Toronto. nextgenerationarts.ca Next Generation Arts _nextgenarts

TABLE OF CONTENTS 7

Foreword

Photo Stories

Artist Biographies

Acknowledgements

FOREWORD

We were in for a whirlwind. We were up for a challenge. As I stand above my desk with all of the prints set out before me, I cannot begin to express how astonished and impressed I am of these photographic artists and of all of the artists who joined us for PS Scarborough: B-Side Scarborough. I cannot continue to express how much I love the PS Scarborough program and all of its different iterations. When we first began this journey as a group, no one truly knew where we were headed. It was amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and we were all trying to figure out how we would navigate and share the technical and physical elements of photography during a new normalcy. We all met online as strangers only knowing that we had one shared goal: photographing and capturing our love for our Scarborough neighbourhoods. Aside from that knowledge, the rest was going to be an experimental journey, as if we were treading through new territory. As we tread, two things continued to trend for our group each week: 1) our love and nostalgia for all the nooks, crannies, hidden gems, and memories that were housed in Scarborough; and 2) the want and the need to connect with our beloved communities and each other. As each week passed, we shared glimpses of our personal selves, our favourite places, our memories and experiences, and sometimes the dangerous yet exciting adventures we went on just to capture that special shot. There were many times we shared photos and it let us speak for longer than our class time budgeted; other times it left us speechless in visual arrest; and of course, there were times where we were just trying something new so the photo did not turn out yet we were gladdened for the experimentation and held ourselves accountable to try again. Each time we shared a photograph, we learned more about one another. We studied each other. We tested each other. We became a group who were no longer strangers, but a group of photographers who just did strange things for the sake of a good photograph. Initially, PS Scarborough was born out of concept of a photo story—one that captured all the people, places, food, cultures, memories, and visually enticing moments which we have experienced. What PS Scarborough turned out to be was a postscript—as after all the facts were spewed, all of the narratives were told, and all the places explored, what lingered was an overwhelming “P.S. Scarborough, we love you.” And as you visit this book, I hope, earnestly, that is what you see and feel from this photo story, as this is what we have seen and felt as a group, especially during these COVID times, with no boundaries but every restriction. With kindness,

Jen D. Fabico Founder and Executive Director, Next Generation Arts

PHOTO STORIES

RAYMOND WAN TWENTY-FOUR SEVEN

TTCriders volunteers, including Vince Puhakka, delivered a giant Valentine’s Day card signed by hundreds of transit riders a few days before City Councillors voted on the 2022 Toronto budget. The card asked Councillors to invest in more service and the low-income transit discount, also known as the Fair Pass. Later that week, City Councillors voted to “proceed with the implementation of the next phase of the Fair Pass program as quickly as possible”.

NITHURSAN ELAMUHILAN TTCRIDERS AT STC

LEEZA GHEEREWO PORT UNION STROLL

LEEZA GHEERAWO FINDING LOVE AT THE GO

GAYATHRI GANESAN CIVIC CENTRE

NITHURSAN ELAMUHILAN THE HAND OF GOD

LEEZA GHEERAWO TRIP

NITHURSAN ELAMUHILAN SHAMROCKS

LEEZA GHEERAWO HIGHLAND CREEK SHOPS

RAYMOND WAN ON THE GO

RAYMOND WAN COMFORT ZONE

GAYATHRI GANESAN SUKANYA RASTOGI

JENENI JUDE BOMBAY ZONE

I am pretty sure fans of the fast food brand have taken a picture with this neon sign at Scarborough Town Centre—a very Instagrammable spot with its contrast of red and white.

MICHELLE TAN NEON SIGN AT STC

JENENI JUDE DAY TO NIGHT

Pictured left to right: Joanne Gasparini, Angela Brackett, and Marlene Vanderlugt “We get to advocate on behalf of the community. Not just the children that we walk, [but also] our youth, seniors and adults—we make sure that everyone is included.” All-Stars Community Outreach is a charitable organization dedicated to empowering and creating safe communities, one neighbourhood at a time. Based out of Mornelle Court, volunteers and partners offer a wide range of activities, services, training, and resources designed to help people thrive. “When we can grow and adopt a mindset of learning and hope, we can transform the world around us.”

NITHURSAN ELAMUHILAN ALL-STARS OF MORNELLE COURT

One of my hobbies is drying flowers upside down. I found an opportunity to use the techniques and angles learnt during the project to capture the moment.

MICHELLE TAN DRIED ROSES

In this triptych, I framed the three rose bundles separately but made it such that they align closely to form a bouquet. It lets me present to the viewers the process of drying flowers as a symbolism of preserving what was once alive but is now dead in form.

GAYATHRI GANESAN PANI PURI

Moving from a tropical city like Singapore to a temperate climate in Toronto, it took me years to get used to the snowy winters.

MICHELLE TAN ONE SMALL STEP

Upon stepping outside of my second home at Siege Airsoft, I saw the soft trees covered in snow. This collage shows my cat’s paw print, my goofy foot in snow, and how mesmerizing winter can be.

This reminded me of the Rorschach inkblot test when I mirrored the image of the Brimley Forest tree top line. The results are abstract; I see triangles and antlers with a Magic: The Gathering vibe.

MICHELLE TAN PSYCHIATRY & ART

JENENI JUDE MOONLIGHT

A niche community thrives from an active sport, Airsoft, that allows the players to have a fun-fueled adrenaline time. Siege Airsoft, located at 2220 Midland Ave #76AP in Scarborough, is a quick drive down from Skycity Shopping Centre, a bustling place also known for their bubble tea and snacks. The Toronto Blue Jays patch, made by LDXpatch, is also really iconic. I captured this photo in low-light settings with my Nikon D3200.

MICHELLE TAN I SEE YOU

NITHURSAN ELAMUHILAN KEVIN RUPASINGHE

Kevin Rupasinghe, a resident of Scarborough Southwest, is an engaged community leader focused on civic affairs, sustainability, and road safety.

GAYATHRI GANESAN STC STATION

RAYMOND WAN INSPIRING THE YOUTH— ROBERTO “BUBBA” ALLEN

An educator with the TDSB, he has been a football coach for the past 20 plus years ranging from OFA, CIS and CFL), coaching at all levels. Using sports to impact the Scarborough community, Bubba enables the development of youth to be a part of something positive and learning life lessons.

Passionate about the positive development and growth of youth, YC focuses on motivating and the development of women to strive for greatness within their craft.

RAYMOND WAN EMPOWERMENT— CHRISTOPHER “YC” FRANCIS

JENENI JUDE THATHA’S GARDEN PLOT

GAYATHRI GANESAN THANUJA SELVA

JENENI JUDE CELESTIAL SCARBOROUGH

JENENI JUDE FREE FLYING

LEEZA GHEERAWO WEDNESDAY BLUES

LEEZA GHEERAWO WHEN WILL IT ARRIVE?

ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

GAYA GANESAN

JENENI JUDE

LEEZA GHEERAWO

Gaya is passionate about exploring the beauty and diversity of Scarborough while also spotlighting the challenges residents of Scarborough face. Living in different parts of Scarborough has helped expose her varying experiences the place has to offer. Through location analytics and intelligence, now coupled with moments captured through photographs, Gaya is excited to express wholesome stories of Scarborough.

Jeneni is a Scarborough resident fueled by an innate curiosity towards adventure, all while observing, analyzing, and capturing her surroundings. Her work is inspired by diverse cultures, breathtaking landscapes, as well as moments filled with simplicity and candor. As an aspiring photojournalist, she has traveled to many countries with her camera in tow, documenting the beauty of the natural world and its people. Jeneni aims to continue bridging her passions to create authentic images with meaningful impact.

Leeza is a fiery Aries who is picking up their camera again and getting their creative juices flowing. They are exploring new mediums of photography and having fun capturing moments of everyday life.

Find Gaya’s photography on pages 14, 23, 29, 35, and 39.

Find Jeneni’s photography on pages 24, 26, 32, 38, 40, and 41. Connect with Jeneni on Instagram @by.jeneni.

Residing in east Scarborough, Leeza loves the easy access to nature, unlimited bike trails, and the variety of cuisines available. They are immensely grateful to be raised in the multicultural and welcoming community of Scarborough. Find Leeza’s photography on pages 12, 13, 16-17, 20, 42, and 43. Connect with Leeza on Instagram @extrasbyleeza.

MICHELLE TAN Michelle, often referred by her friends as Mish, was born in Singapore and moved to Scarborough in 2014. As an alumni from the University of Toronto Scarborough 2020 summer cohort, living in Scarborough taught her how to love the place. Presently, Michelle loves exploring the field of photojournalism, as well as portrait and sports photography, especially in lowlight environments. Michelle wants her captured moments to reach people, allowing them to feel what is being felt during that point in time. Find Michelle’s photography on pages 25, 28, 30, 31, and 33. Connect with Michelle on Instagram @multicamish.

NITHURSAN ELAMUHILAN Born and raised in Scarborough, Nithursan is an emerging visual storyteller with a strong interest in documentary photography. He is actively exploring ways to incorporate photography, data, and public art as expressive modes of communication. Through volunteering and personal projects, Nithursan is interested in exploring ways of creating positive impact in the Scarborough and Greater Toronto community. Find Nithursan’s photography on pages 11, 15, 18-19, 27, and 34. Learn more about his work by visiting nithursan.ca.

RAYMOND WAN Raymond has always had a passion for photography since he was young, but picked up his first DSLR camera only five years ago. He enjoys producing images ranging from portraiture, product, street, and lifestyle photography. Raymond enjoys using photography as a way to express himself, to tell a story, and to invoke emotions using creative techniques and visuals. He looks forward to continuing photography and collaborating with other people within the industry. Find Raymond’s photography on pages 10, 21, 22, and 36-37. Connect with Raymond on Instagram @wan.shot.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

PS Scarborough: B-Side Scarborough is made possible by the Toronto Arts Council. With the momentum built from the previous year, this year’s PS Scarborough pushed us out of our comfort zone to delve into corners and cornerstones of Scarborough. This beautiful collection would not have come together with our Programs & Communications Associate, Marianne Rellin, and her bold and creative ingenuity. The PS Scarborough collection continues to come to life read after read thanks to Marianne’s vision. Within our photography intensive, we built and strengthened our professional networks. This year, we welcomed Antony Creary and Diana Nazareth who supported facilitations and ongoing learnings. Last but not least, this project would not be made possible without the very people who are showcased in this publication: Nithursan Elamuhilan, Gayathri Ganesan, Leeza Gheerawo, Jeneni Jude, Michelle Tan and Raymond Wan. Though not having showcased in this year’s collection, we also recognize our fellow members from the PS Scarborough group: Yuki, Arabi, Dhiviya, Nikki, Andrew, Iris, and Eirini. Thank you to our entire group of artists, hobbyists, photographers, and digital masters for bringing together great conversations to learn, explore, share and network. We look forward to all of the new projects and collaborations that come out of this round!

ISBN 9781999501723

9 781999 501723

PS Scarborough: B-Side Scarborough

Articles inside

Foreword