Camera and the City
Drawing upon the rich collection of the National Gallery of Canada, Camera and the City brings together the work of a wide range of photographers who have captured the spirit of city streets.
The exhibition is divided into three sections exploring the city as movement and theatre, the city as idea, and the city as community.
The City as Movement shows how artists visualize the city as a dynamic site, open and vulnerable to numerous influences from within and without. The City as Idea explores conceptual approaches to photographing the built environment, examining how people and environments are shaped by corporate interests and consumer culture. Often resulting in experimental material processes, these photographs shift our understanding of city imagery. The City as Community highlights the need for human connection, capturing gatherings of families and diverse communities, along with back streets and alleys and their less familiar narratives.
Featuring the work of Walker Evans, Diane Arbus, Leon Levenstein, Berenice Abbott, Robyn Collyer, Barbara Probst, Charles Gagnon, Fred Herzog, June Clark, Michel Lambeth, Jeff Thomas, Gordon Parks, Kwame Brathwaite and many others, Camera and the City showcases the multifaceted stories and experiences of city streets.
Date
Location
Artwork
Kwame Brathwaite, Untitled (Garvey Day, Deedee in Car), c. 1965, printed 2021. Inkjet print, 55.9 × 81.3 cm. Courtesy of the Kwame Brathwaite Archive and Jenkins Johnson Gallery. © The Kwame Brathwaite Archive, all rights reserved
Kwame Brathwaite, Untitled (Garvey Day, Deedee in Car), c. 1965, printed 2021. Inkjet print, 55.9 × 81.3 cm. Courtesy of the Kwame Brathwaite Archive and Jenkins Johnson Gallery. © The Kwame Brathwaite Archive, all rights reserved
Fred Herzog, Man with Bandage, 1968, printed 2009. Inkjet print, 70.9 × 96.3 cm. National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. Purchased 2010. © Estate of Fred Herzog
Fred Herzog, Man with Bandage, 1968, printed 2009. Inkjet print, 70.9 × 96.3 cm. National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. Purchased 2010. © Estate of Fred Herzog
Lisette Model, First Reflection, New York, c. 1939–40. Gelatin silver print, 42.3 × 34.6 cm. National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. Purchased 1986. © The Lisette Model Foundation, Inc. (1983)
Lisette Model, First Reflection, New York, c. 1939–40. Gelatin silver print, 42.3 × 34.6 cm. National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. Purchased 1986. © The Lisette Model Foundation, Inc. (1983)
Cheryl Sourkes, Handheld #3, 2016. Chromogenic print, 148.6 × 101.6 cm (approx.). National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. © Cheryl Sourkes
Cheryl Sourkes, Handheld #3, 2016. Chromogenic print, 148.6 × 101.6 cm (approx.). National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. © Cheryl Sourkes
Pierre Gaudard, Demonstration of the Unemployed in East Montreal, Quebec, 1969. Gelatin silver print, 27.7 × 35.4 cm. National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. CMCP Collection. Purchased 1971. © Estate of Pierre Gaudard
Pierre Gaudard, Demonstration of the Unemployed in East Montreal, Quebec, 1969. Gelatin silver print, 27.7 × 35.4 cm. National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. CMCP Collection. Purchased 1971. © Estate of Pierre Gaudard
Ted Grant, Chinatown, Vancouver, British Columbia, May 1963, printed 1986. Gelatin silver print, 27.9 × 35.5 cm. National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. CMCP Collection. Purchased 1963. © Estate of Ted Grant
Ted Grant, Chinatown, Vancouver, British Columbia, May 1963, printed 1986. Gelatin silver print, 27.9 × 35.5 cm. National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. CMCP Collection. Purchased 1963. © Estate of Ted Grant
Raymonde April, Dress, 2010. Chromogenic print, 99 × 123 cm. National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. Gift of Robert-Jean Chénier, Westmount, Quebec, 2017. © Raymonde April
Raymonde April, Dress, 2010. Chromogenic print, 99 × 123 cm. National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. Gift of Robert-Jean Chénier, Westmount, Quebec, 2017. © Raymonde April
Leon Levinstein, Untitled (father holding child with pacifier), c. 1970. Gelatin silver print, 34.3 × 26.7 cm. Loan courtesy of the American Friends of the National Gallery of Canada, 2025, through the generosity of The Gary Davis Collection. © Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York
Leon Levinstein, Untitled (father holding child with pacifier), c. 1970. Gelatin silver print, 34.3 × 26.7 cm. Loan courtesy of the American Friends of the National Gallery of Canada, 2025, through the generosity of The Gary Davis Collection. © Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York
Upcoming Events
Tours
Group Visits
Discover the many ways photographers have captured the spirit and stories of city streets. During this tour, your group will explore a selection of works by both Canadian and international artists from the late 1800s to today, who take the city as their subject.
Jan 6 to Mar 15, 2026
Duration: 60 min
Tours
School Tours
Discover the many ways photographers have captured the spirit and stories of city streets. During this tour, students will explore a selection of works by both Canadian and international artists from the late 1800s to today, who take the city as their subject.
Jan 6 to Mar 15, 2026
Duration: 60 min
Related Content
Accessibility and
Sensory Guide
The exhibition Camera and the City is located in the Special Exhibitions Galleries on the top floor. Visitors may access the exhibition from the Scotiabank Great Hall by taking the stairs or the glass elevator to Level 2. There is one entrance and a separate exit, both with automatic doors. There are no washrooms in the Special Exhibitions Gallery itself, but there are washrooms in the corridor nearby. There are benches throughout the space where visitors may sit and rest, and security staff is available to help if needed.
Most of the works of art featured in the exhibition hang on walls. A few works are displayed in cases. Large-print label text is available in a binder within the exhibition space.
Visitors may borrow wheelchairs, walkers, strollers and sensory kits, free of charge, at the Visitor Services desks in the Main Entrance or in the Scotiabank Great Hall.
Learn more about Accessibility at the Gallery here.
Supported by
Soutenu par
