Artist photographs one Torontonian from every country in the world
KALEIGH ROGERS
Special to The Globe and Mail
Published Friday, Apr. 18 2014, 4:00 PM EDT
Last updated Friday, Apr. 18 2014, 5:06 PM EDT
The exact number of countries in the world varies depending on whom you ask – the United Nations has 193 members, while the U.S. State Department pegs it around 196 – but for his purposes, photographer Colin Boyd Shafer has narrowed it down to 190. And he just finished capturing numbers 173 and 174: Mozambique and Burundi.
For his project Cosmopolis Toronto, Mr. Shafer is endeavouring to photograph a portrait of one immigrant living in the city of Toronto from every country in the world. The effort has provided insight from some of the city’s smaller and less-vocal immigrant communities. And those Torontonians born in countries that are currently in the headlines can offer a unique perspective that other Canadians might not understand, such as Ukraine’s complex relationship with Russia or the hidden corruption in Brazil’s government. Cosmopolis highlights the city’s diversity, but also what all Torontonians can learn from our global population.
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After moving home to Toronto to help care for his aging grandmother – who was subject number 100, Eileen from the United Kingdom – the 31-year-old wanted to embark on a project that would both challenge him and allow him to explore the city he now calls home. Portraits are Mr. Shafer’s preferred format, and with such a diverse city, the idea for Cosmopolis quickly emerged.
