May 3–29, 2024, Goethe-Institut Toronto

Presented by the Goethe-Institut

with CONTACT Photography Festival & Art Metropole

Core exhibition CONTACT Photography Festival 2024

Interest in flâneurism in street photography is on the rise, but it is criticized for its white male-centric view of urban life. In an exhibition for the Goethe-Institut, Guggenheim Fellow Zun Lee rethinks his street photography to move beyond wandering. Instead, Lee advocates for lingering and loitering as strategies to challenge how modern urban spaces control marginalized bodies. This reframing of street photography aims to actively disrupt urban dynamics, offering new perspectives for both photographers and subjects.

Zun Lee's exhibition for:GROUND, curated by Jutta Brendemühl, evolves and expands through collaborative efforts during its duration: Contextualising programming including immersive workshops and portfolio reviews (by invitation only), public talks with international artists and culture workers, a reading room, a soundtrack, a commissioned essay, a film screening, and other engagement opportunities will offer audiences the opportunity to experience the fluid and participatory nature of Lee’s practice firsthand. Local artists Kalmplex, Sarah Espedido, Ammar Bowaihl, and isi bhakhomen will explore and expand Lee’s leitmotif of loitering as public space reclamation and add works.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Zun Lee is a multi-hyphenate artist, physician, and educator, born and raised in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, and currently living in Toronto, Canada. Lee has been an independent photographer since 2014 and has exhibited, spoken, and taught at numerous institutions in North America and Europe. His works are widely published and represented in public and private collections around the world. Honours and awards include: Mellon Foundation Practitioner in Residence, Knight Foundation Grantee, Magnum Foundation Fellow, Paris Photo/Aperture Photobook Awards Shortlist, Photo District News’ 30 New and Emerging Photographers to Watch.

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