In Ontario, Yours to Discover is a slogan on licence plates (although the words are about to change). For Zinnia Naqvi, the phrase triggers memories of immigration to Canada from Pakistan. Her tableaux vivants (living pictures) address common newcomer experiences, featuring props, ephemera and family photos from tourist attractions.
Above: The Wanderers – Niagara Falls, 1988, 2019.
These works take the form of a large-scale photographic triptych for the façade of the Peel Art Gallery in Brampton, “where more than half of its residents are new immigrants, and visible minorities account for the majority of its population, particularly those of South Asian descent.” – ScotiaBank Contact Photography Festival event summary.
Zinnia Naqvi’s website, here.
Discover more from Canadian Art Junkie
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Very interesting work! Have they decided what they are changing the slogan on the license plates to?
The current info is personal plates to A Place to Grow and commercial to Open for Business. But it isn’t enacted yet, just part of last month’s budget.