A digital photograph and video presentation in North Battleford on Canada Day may have featured out of town artists, but it certainly caught the interest of local residents.
Set up in the Agrivilla on the exhibition grounds during the city's centennial celebrations, the vibrant show offered images of North Battleford everyone could relate to.
Professional photographer Stuart Kasdorf, MPA, of Saskatoon said the project hatched from a common wish to take on a joint artistic venture for purely personal gratification. That wish led him and fellow photographer, Douglas Rarog of Kelowna, B.C., to North Battleford.
Kasdorf said a friend on the centennial committee suggested North Battleford as a destination. Since their intention was to photograph a community they weren't familiar with, and since the centennial committee and City Hall were entirely supportive of their venture, the project clicked.
"The thrill of finding cool locations, and meeting many local heroes was very rewarding," says Kasdorf in the exhibition brochure.
Bringing Saskatoon journalist/videographer Tara Yolan on board added another dimension to the project.
The end result was an exhibition entitled Exploring North Battleford at 100 consisting of a video, four panoramic images of nine feet in length each, 24 27" x 40" photographs and a digital photographic presentation.
The exploration was financed by the artists themselves, with the exception of an equipment loan.
"Our goal was simply to spend some uninterrupted days visiting and seeing through the lens of our cameras a community we have not experienced before."
To see their work, visit www.exploringnorthbattlefordat100.com.
