Michael Bednar has been documenting life in the Downtown Eastside since 1997 and through his frequent contact with the area’s inhabitants he has developed a deep compassion for the people who live there. His goal for the exhibition is to have others see the neighbourhood for what it is - a home to some of our most marginalized citizens and yet a place where a deep sense of community exists. Bednar’s photos are rich with colour; he studiously avoided using black and white images as he wants to show the vibrancy of the people and their connection to their environment.
Bednar was open to photographing anyone from the Downtown Eastside. What he originally imagined as a six-month assignment ended up taking more than a year, and he was grateful for the extra time to see the work through.
To see more of Bednar’s work, visit www.bednarphoto.com
